Yin-Yang
by Dr.Indigo
Summary: All things must be in balance. Good and Evil. Light and Darkness. Man and Woman. For when this balance is disturbed chaos reigns. Join Adora and her brother Adam as they seek to unlock the mysteries of their past and restore balance to both Etheria and Eternia. No Pairings, but loaded with lots of adorable brother-sister love.
1. Prologue: Midnight Rambler

Hello everybody and welcome to what I hope will be a long and extremely well received new story. Just gonna come out and say it right now, this story is straight up AU. Season 3 is just around the corner and it looks like we'll be getting some more insight into the lore, but I'm gonna ignore it because I have a pretty solid idea on what kind of story I want to tell. I mean, if I can, I'll probably integrate some of the new information we get from S3 into the story, but for the most part I'm gonna be telling the story I want to and I'm not gonna let a little thing like canon ruin it for me. With that said, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel.

Prologue: Midnight Rambler

"Urrrrgh…" Adora moaned softly as she continued to trudge through the pitch black wilderness.

For some reason, her eyes weren't working so well at the moment, but she could just barely make out the silhouettes of the trees around her, so at the very least she was able to avoid running into them.

Her ears weren't working so well either, but she could still hear the sound of her sword scrapping across the hard ground. Which was unfortunate, since this was a particularly annoying sound, but alas, her arms weren't working either, so there was nothing she could do about it.

More than anything, her brain wasn't working so well. Her memories were all fuzzy. She couldn't remember where she was or what she was doing there. She couldn't remember when she'd started walking or even why. There were a few stray fragments floating around her head, but nothing that made much sense. She remembered Catra and something about sand… or maybe it was crystals? And then there was this blinding light and a weird sensation; sort of like being ripped apart and then being put back together inside out.

Was that a thing?

She had no idea.

All she knew was that she had to keep walking.

And so she did.

For hours and hours on end. Although to be fair, for all she knew it could've only been a few minutes. Her sense of time was just as murky as everything else.

Anyway, after another two hours… or two minutes… whatever, of walking, a point of light appeared in the distance. Small at first, but as time ticked on it slowly grew larger and larger. Until finally it was upon her.

To her surprise, the source of the mysterious light turned out to be a small, but nonetheless majestic looking falcon, which was somehow emitting a glorious golden aura that bathed her body in a comforting warmth not unlike the morning sun.

For several minutes, Adora just stared at the magnificent bird as it hovered high above her. But then, to her even greater surprise, the falcon opened its beak and in a soft, almost honeylike voice, it spoke a single word.

_Remember. _

**_Buh-Bump!_**

Suddenly, a sharp pain ran through the young warrior's head; causing her to double over from the shock.

**_Buh-Bump! _**

**_Buh-Bump!_**

Her eyes were throbbing. Her skull was burning. And her brain felt like it'd been hooked up to a light socket. For a moment there, she was certain she was going to die.

But then…

**_Buh-Bump!_**

**_Buh-Bump!_**

**_Buh-Bump! _**

Adora jerked her head upward; forcing herself to look straight up into the sky as a rush of information was suddenly uploaded directly into her brain. Thousands upon thousands of images flashed before her eyes; depicting places and people she didn't recognize. Most of it was happening too fast for her to process. But amid the chaos she was able to make out a few garbled bits of people's voices.

This is some of what she heard.

_By the Power of Grayskull!_

_1.21!_

_Your vile horde will never breach the castle walls. _

_I just __**love**__ your disguise. _

_We'll fight men, Sir. But that guy's a demon!_

_Please. We both know you don't have the guts. _

_Drizzle, Drazzle, Druzzle, Drome~ _

_Force Captain Leech, prepare the ground assault._

_I just want to go home. _

_Welcome home, Princess Adora. _

_This world will drown in its own blood._

_YOU BASTARD!_

_It's what separates us from the bad guys. _

_MY FACE!_

_Mara, please, it's not what you think!_

_Big, Mean, and always Hungry._

_When they go dancing, how do they decide who leads?_

_Eternia is forever in your debt. _

_I HATE YOU!_

_Call me Moss Man. _

_Baby mine, don't you cry~ _

_CHOOSE NOW, RANDOR! _

_Hey Adora. _

_I AM SHEEEEEE-RAAAAAAAAAAA! _

"_Gasp_" Adora exclaimed as she suddenly jerked herself into an upright position; her heart beating like a tribal war drum. She wasn't sure when or how, but apparently she'd fallen asleep at some point during her little walkabout. But on the bright side, her senses were finally working again. Now she could see where the heck she was.

Interesting…

Despite the darkness of what she could only assume to be night, Adora could clearly see that she was in a forest. Although, it was not one she recognized. The trees were all… wrong, and everything was just so… green. Definitely not the Whispering Woods, or any other part of Etheria she'd ever seen.

And where were Bow and Glimmer? The last thing she remembered was heading out with them to the Crimson Waste to do… something. And then… something else happened. And then she was suddenly here.

But where the heck was _here_? And why couldn't she remember any…

Suddenly, Adora's mind went blank. By chance she'd allowed her gaze to drift upwards and, to her immense astonishment she saw something that was beyond belief. Something that filled her heart with both childlike wonder and primordial terror. Something that was completely and utterly impossible.

At yet, there they were.

Just hanging up there in sky; twinkling like tiny little diamonds.

The strange and mysterious cosmic formations that the First Ones called…

"Stars…"

End Notes:

Not sure if this story has gotten anyone's attention yet, but if it has, I appreciate your interest.

With that said, thanks for reading.

Peace.


	2. Chapter 1: 121

Here it is folks, Chapter 1. Don't remember if I explained this before, but this story starts right after the end of Season 2, but from there it will strictly be AU. I may incorporate some ideas from Season 3 when it comes out, if anything meshes well with what I've got planned. But don't hold me to that. Anyway, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel.

Chapter 1: 1.21

(_Fourteen Hours Earlier_)

The Crimson Waste.

A harsh, unforgiving expanse of stone and scorpion piss nestled deep within Horde Controlled Territory.

So named because of its high concentration of iron oxide which bathed the rocky terrain in a dark reddish hue; creating the illusion that the entire wasteland had been painted with the blood of its countless victims.

On any given day, this barren wasteland was all but completely devoid of life; save for those who were fortunate enough to have adapted to the stark conditions. However, on this day, one particular patch of rock was abuzz with activity. And unbeknownst to all those involved, this site would soon become the setting of a major turning point in the lives of four young people.

But I digress.

In the lowlands about five or six miles south of Scorpion Hill, there sits a large, crystalline structure; a tower supposedly carved from a single enormous shard of amethyst. For centuries, this marvelous testament to First One ingenuity had been hidden beneath a thick layer of rust; making it indistinguishable from the many other mesas that dotted the rocky landscape. However, thanks to some clever hacking on the part of the Horde's resident mad scientist, this ancient monolith had been found and restored to a fraction of its former glory.

High atop this shining monument to a bygone age stood a young feline like girl by the name of Catra. And as she leaned over the edge to watch the various soldiers and bots working to remove the last lingering traces of rust, she wondered if all her problems couldn't be solved by just jumping off.

For those of you not up to date on the latest Fright Zone scuttlebutt, please permit me to explain.

You see, not too long ago, young Catra had been a mere Horde Cadet, but through hard work, dumb luck, and good, old-fashioned backstabbing, she quickly rose through the ranks to Force Captain and eventually made it all the way to Lord Hordak's Second in Command. But alas, the good times were not to last. In her carelessness, Catra allowed the traitorous Shadow Weaver to escape before she could be transferred to the Horde's maximum security prison on Beast Island. And even worse, Hordak had caught her trying to cover up her mistake. By all rights, she should be dead. But fortunately, the discovery of the monolith provided her with one last chance to prove her worth.

Happy ending, right?

Wrong!

Catra knew full well how limited Hordak's sense of mercy truly was. She knew that if anything went wrong on this assignment, for any reason, she would be blamed and from there it would just be a short walk to the firing squad.

The jagged rocks below were looking friendlier and friendlier by the second.

Fortunately, before she could make up her mind, fate intervened.

"Hey Bestie!" said a voice in a familiarly cheerful tone. It was Scorpia; fellow Horde Force Captain and Catra's self-proclaimed BFF. "Listen, I know you're doing your whole dark and broody thing right now. And that's cool. But I just thought I'd bring you a little something-something to quench your thirst. Gotta keep hydrated if you're gonna be out in the Waste. Well, _you_ do. I grew up here, so I'm just fine. Oh, Fun Fact, my people can actually go an entire year without food or water. Isn't that wild?"

The overeager arachnoid continued to ramble on as she was prone to do, but Catra quickly tuned her out. Instead she focused on the drink in her 'friend's' claws. It was nothing special, just one of Entrapta's fizzy beverages. Only Scorpia had apparently taken the time to pour it into a decorative glass and garnish it with a bendy straw and one of those tacky little paper umbrellas. It was all completely unnecessary, but ultimately harmless. So she just shrugged, gingerly removed the glass from her claw and said.

"Thanks."

Before casually walking away from the edge.

"Oh, uh, you're welcome." Scorpia replied; clearly not expecting such a genuine, albeit tame, expression of gratitude. "Anything for muh bestie.

"I'm not your bestie." Catra replied flatly before pausing to sniff the strange, fizzy pink liquid in her hand. "Pink Lemonade?"

"Yup. The perfect thing to help perk up a _Sour Puss_~" the bubbly arachnoid replied with a playful giggle.

Ordinarily, the young feline would've chastised her fellow Force Captain for such childish behavior. Heck, part of her wanted to smack the larger female upside her thick head. But alas, the rest of her remembered that Scorpia was the only reason she was still alive. It had been her after all who'd convinced Hordak that she'd be essential in helping Entrapta unlock the mysteries of the Crystal Tower. So instead she just signed and slowly walked away.

However, before she could get too far away, Catra felt a gentle 'hand' touch her shoulder. Unsurprisingly, when she turned back around she saw that her 'friend' had abandoned her usual bubbly expression in favor of something much warmer and, dare I say, maternal.

"Hey, listen, I know this whole thing with Hordak has you kinda freaked out. But don't worry. Everything's gonna be fine."

"Is it though?" Catra asked skeptically. "Think about it. Shadow Weaver was Hordak's Second for years and he was still willing to send her to Beast Island at the first sign of disloyalty. Just imagine what he'll be willing to do to me."

"Hey, don't even worry about that. This tower is like… a major find. It's gonna be a huge help to the war effort. And Hordak's gonna know that you made that happen. And this whole Shadow Weaver thing is just gonna be one of those funny stories we tell our grandkids."

"I'm not so sure." The young feline said despondently, only to be cut off when Scorpia knelt down to her level and gently forced her to look into her eyes.

"Catra, you mark my words." She said, sounding uncharacteristically serious. "I'm not gonna let that chalk-faced freak hurt one hair on your fuzzy, adorable head."

"Scorpia…"

"Just hear me out. I know you think I'm a goof up, and I know it's not always as loveable as I think. But trust me. My family has influence within the Horde. One call from me, and my mother will take back the Black Garnet. And if Hordak even tries to say no, every Scorpioni in the Fright Zone will turn on him. And then the Princess Alliance will be the least of his problems."

"You… you'd really do all that… for me?"

"Of course, what are friends for?"

In that moment, Catra felt something stir deep inside her. Something she hadn't felt for quite some time. Could it be…

But alas, her thoughts were derailed by a sudden, yet familiar blast of noise pollution. It was sort of like a weird hybrid of a girlish squeal and a witch's cackle. It was almost gut-wrenching, but easy to identify.

"Sounds like Entrapta's found something."

XXX

The top of the amethyst tower was essentially just a large flat surface; roughly three and a half times the size of the observation deck on the Empire State Building, for those of you who hail from a certain third-rate planet ruled by apes. Anyway, this surface was largely devoid of any structures, save for about two dozen circular, crystalline platforms that dotted the area and a strange, podium-like protrusion the rose up from the dead center.

It was here that Catra and Scorpia found the source of the disturbance.

Now, given that Entrapta was the Horde's resident mad scientist, the duo were used to her many, many, **_many _**eccentricities. However, dancing on her tendril-like hair with her robot assistant Emily while squeaking and squealing like an epileptic dolphin was, to put it lightly, a new one.

This bizarre display continued for another minute or so, before the young mechanist finally took notice of her peers.

"Girls!" she said excitedly as she absentmindedly dropped her beloved Horde-Bot. "You're just in time. I've just made the discovery of the century! No, the millennium! No, the epoch! No, the… what comes after epoch? Emily! Fetch me a thesaurus!"

The spherical robot beeped in response before scuttling off to do its master's bidding.

Catra, however, was in no mood such foolishness, so she decided to cut right to the chase.

"Entrapta, I understand that you're excited, but that's all I understand." The young feline said sharply. "Now, if you have something to say, say it. But speak slowly and coherently. Is that understood?"

The young tinkerer nodded in compliance, but even Catra's acidic tone could dampen her spirits.

"_sigh_. Well, as you know, I've been studying the information on the tower's data crystal; attempting to translate their words into modern text." She explained, apparently trying very hard to honor her superior's orders without patronizing her. "But I was having trouble because the… arrangement of the words was unusual; different from any of the First Ones data files I'd seen before. But after comparing them to my own notes, I realized that they aren't words at all. They're numbers. Equations! **_Coordinates!_**"

"Stop shouting." Catra commanded before adding. "Coordinates for what?"

"Well, this is merely a hypothesis, but based on the configuration of these formulas, I believe this tower may have once been a hub, a station if you will, for a First Ones Interplanetary Instantaneous Transit System." When this explanation earned her only a couple of raised eyebrows, Entrapta sighed and attempted a more simplified explanation. "The First Ones used this tower to travel to other worlds."

"Wait, you mean like teleportation? Like what Princess Glimmer does?" Scorpia asked inquisitively.

"Essentially. But on a much larger scale. But that's not even the best part." The young mechanist replied excitedly. "If I'm correct, this machine could be the key to Lord Hordak's plans. Using this tower, combined with the data collected from his previous experiments, we might be able to pierce the barriers of this reality and open a doorway to another. We could create a Stable _Wormhole_~"

"Entrapta, you're drooling." Catra pointed out; still sounding annoyed by her antics.

"Sorry." She apologized, quickly wiping away any stray saliva before continuing. "Anyway, the only problem is finding a suitable power source. The tower's primary generator is completely nonfunctional, and the backup is barely enough to keep this terminal working. In order to get the entire tower working again we'll need something that can generate approximately 1.21 kamegigawatts of energy. Do you even know how much power that is?"

"So much that you had to make up a new word?" Catra replied sarcastically.

"Yes!" Entrapta answered, clearly oblivious to her superior's sass. "But more accurately, it's about 18.5 times the amount of energy produced by a single bolt of lightning. And as far as I know, not even the power plant in the Fright Zone can produce that much; at least not without causing a meltdown."

"What about the Black Garnet?" the feline Force Captain asked directly. "We've harnessed its power before. And you said yourself that Rune Stones have near infinite amounts energy."

"Well… I suppose that could work." The young mechanist replied hesitantly. "But I'll need to run a few tests before we try anything. Hooking up the tower to an incompatible power source would be like putting an inferior grade lubricant into an internal combustion engine. It could permanently damage vital components, or _worse_."

Catra had a pretty good idea of what 'or worse' meant, so instead of pressing the issue she sighed and said,

"Very well. Keep at it and let us know if you find anything else."

"You got it, boss." The mad tinkerer replied ecstatically before throwing herself back into her work.

With that little bit of lunacy out of the way, Catra left to resume her brooding. But unfortunately for her, Scorpia wasn't having any of it.

"Hey, wait up!" the ample arachnoid said as she caught up to her superior officer. "Catra, I know you're still in a dark place right now so you may not have noticed, but all that was good news. Well, except for that last part, but whatever. This tower is gonna be a huge gamechanger. And _you_ helped Entrapta find it. Hordak's totally gonna forgive you for losing Shadow Weaver."

"I know, and that's what worries me."

"I'm… not following."

"Every time things seem to be going our way, something bad happens. And _this_ is usually the part where it does."

"Okay, now you're just being paranoid."

"Am I? Think about everything that's happened to us since we first met. Any second now, Entrapta's gonna activate an ancient boobytrap that'll blow up the tower. Or a bunch of robot worms are gonna come out of the ground to try to eat us. Or She-Ra will show up and…"

At that exact moment, an explosion went off somewhere close by; followed swiftly by a familiar battle cry.

"For the Honor of Grayskull!"

To which Scorpia replied,

"Okay, now _that_ was spooky."

To which Catra replied,

"_Ugh_. She never misses a cue."

XXX

(_Two and a Half Minutes Later_)

'Well, this escalated quickly.' Scorpia thought to herself as she narrowly avoided getting an arrow through her head. 'I mean this really got outta hand fast.'

Understatement of the century.

In the two and a half minutes since She-Ra's arrival, the amethyst tower had been transformed into a warzone. Everywhere you looked there were lasers firing, arrows flying, guys getting thrown at other guys. It was pure pandemonium.

Over in the western quarter, Catra and She-Ra were doing their usual sword on claws melee; nothing out of the ordinary. While over in the eastern quarter, Princess Glimmer and the talking horse were keeping about two dozen Horde Soldiers on their toes. Up north, the archer guy, whose name Scorpia could not remember for some reason, had taken the high ground and was making short work of the rest. And smack dab in the center, Entrapta was still fiddling with the tower's terminal; seemingly unaware of the chaos going on around her.

All in all, the situation was less than ideal, but far from hopeless. Even if the rebels did take the tower, they were still surrounded by miles and miles of Horde Controlled wasteland, and Scorpion Hill was within spitting distance. Her kingdom's army was feared throughout Etheria and her mom knew _a lot_ of bounty hunters who lived for this sort of mayhem. They could retake the tower in a day and Hordak need never know it was ever lost.

Yes, this would work. This was a great plan. Everything was going to work out just fine and nothing bad would happen to her precious little Wild Cat.

That made sense, right?

Suddenly, a familiar yowl brought Scorpia back to reality.

In the distance she saw Catra and She-Ra standing on one of the defunct warp pads. Well, the latter was standing anyway. The former was lying on her back with a sword pointed at her throat.

"It's over, Catra." The abnormally tall blond said to her former best friend. "Order your troops to stand down and surrender this tower to the Princess Alliance."

"_Pfft_. Or what?" the feline Force Captain asked dismissively. "You'll stab me with your big glowy pwincess sword?"

"Don't think I won't!"

"Please. We both know you don't have the guts." Catra said tauntingly. "You may have been the best in basic, but when it comes to real combat you'll always be second best."

"Catra, I don't wanna hurt you, but…"

"Why not?" she spat viciously. "I kidnaped your friends. I coerced one of your allies into joining the Horde. I even used one of your precious Rune Stones to ravage your ecosystem. What is it going to take to get you to take me seriously?"

"I know what you're doing and it's not gonna work. I won't let you bait me."

"That's funny. Shadow Weaver said almost the exact same thing. Right before I slashed her throat."

Something dark flashed across She-Ra's eyes.

"What?"

"Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yeah, Hordak promoted me to his Second in Command awhile back. And all I had to do to earn it was kill his previous one."

"You're lying."

"Oh that's right. She raised you, didn't she. She was the only mother you've ever known."

"She raised you too. That's how I know you're lying. You would never…"

"But I did. I killed that hatchetfaced ghoul. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Back on the opposite end of the tower, Scorpia's heart and mind were racing with anxiety.

'What the heck is she doing?' she asked herself as she struggled to understand what she was seeing. 'Shadow Weaver's not dead. Why is she egging her on like this? It's almost like she wants…"

Suddenly, she remembered the sullen look on her friend's face as she looked over the edge at the jagged rocks far below. Perhaps in her mind the mission was already a failure. Which meant the only way to escape Hordak's wrath was…

"_NO!_" Scorpia yelled as she rushed over to prevent a potential tragedy; dodging arrows and laser fire with a surprising amount of grace and agility. "_CATRA, DON'T DO IT!_"

But alas, her pleas went unheard, as the feline Force Captain continued with her twisted plan.

"And you know what? I'll bet that even after everything that's happened, a part of you still loves her." She taunted. "I know she still loved you, Adora. I mean, why else would she call out your name?"

"Shut up."

"At least, I think it was your name. Kinda hard to understand her with all the blood."

"I said, _Shut up!_"

THRUST!

And just like that, Scorpia felt her heart stop.

The scene before her was so shocking, so unfathomably horrifying, that the sight of it made the arachnoid warrior fall to her knees. Catra lying there. She-Ra's sword sticking out of her forehead. Eyes frozen in terror. Lips curled into a mischievous smile.

Wait… _What_?

"_Phhhh_. I knew you couldn't do it." Said the supposedly dead Force Captain with an arrogant smirk.

It took Scorpia a few moments to realize what had happened, but once she did she breathed a sigh of relief. It had all been an optical illusion. A mere trick of perspective. She-Ra had only driven her sword into the ground beside Catra's head, presumably to scare her, not driven it straight through.

Internally, the young arachnoid chastised herself to jumping to such conclusions. Of course Catra wasn't really suicidal; she'd just been playing one of her twisted mind games. And of course She-Ra would never really try to kill Catra; she was one of the 'good guys', murder wasn't in her nature. She felt so ashamed, but more than that she felt relieved.

Unfortunately, this relief was short lived.

Moments later, She-Ra's sword began to emit an eerie blueish white light, which quickly seeped into the warp pad. From there, the energy spread to every nook and cranny, until the entire tower was glowing like a Christmas Tree; if such things existed on Etheria.

Naturally, this unprecedented turn of events sent the majority of the Horde Soldiers into a panic; several actually leapt over the side and plunged to their deaths instead of just using the freight elevators Entrapta had installed. Catra was in a similar panic, but with her hair caught beneath She-Ra's blade, there was very little she could do about it. Ever the hero, She-Ra attempted to free her archnemesis, but with her sword still pulsating with First Ones Energy, it was all she could do just to grab the hilt.

And all the while, Entrapta was still happily tapping away at her computer; blissfully unaware of all the chaos going on around her. Suddenly, something on the screen caught her attention, causing her eyes to light up and her mouth to stretch into a large, dopey grin. Then, at the top her voice, she shouted,

"_1.21_!"

And then the world became an explosion of light.

When the proverbial smoke cleared, Scorpia found herself standing alone atop the amethyst tower. Her friends and her enemies were nowhere to be seen.

"Catra!" she called, only to get no response. "Catra, where are you? Entrapta? She-Ra? Arrow Guy? I'm sorry I don't know your name!"

"_Ugh_…" groaned a familiar voice, prompting the young arachnoid to rush towards it.

Unsurprisingly, but to her great relief, Scorpia found Entrapta about where she'd left her; only now she was lying flat on her back and giving off the occasional spark of electricity. Apparently she'd been caught up in the backlash of whatever that energy blast had been.

"Entrapta, are you okay?" she asked concernedly as she gently scooped up the battered scientist and cradled her in her arms like a child. "Entrapta, I know you're kinda messed up right now, but if you could just please wake up and tell me what the heck just happened, I'd really appreciate it."

Slowly, the mad scientist's eyes fluttered open and a goofy smile spread across her lips.

"Well, aren't you a clever polar bear." She said drunkenly; her eyes glazed and unfocused. "All up on your hide paws."

"What?" Scorpia said confusedly. "No, Entrapta, it's me."

"_Gasp_. Emily! You taught yourself English!" Entrapta replied giddily before wrapping her arms around the much larger female. "I'm so proud!"

"O…kay…" the young arachnoid said confusedly before trying one last time. "Entrapta, I am Scorpia. Your friend. Can you please tell me what happened to your other friend Catra? Pretty please."

To which Entrapta replied,

"_Burp for Mommy_~"

And then she passed out again.

'Well, this is less than ideal.' Scorpia thought sullenly as looked up into the sky and asked herself. "Catra, where are you?"

End Notes:

This chapter took a long time to write, but I didn't want to cheat my readers by cutting out a bunch of important details just for the sake of a self-imposed deadline.

Anywho, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one.

Peace.


	3. Chapter 2: Sun and Moon

Season 3 dropped yesterday and… yeah, a lot happened. Just to reiterate, this story is an AU beginning from the end of Season 2. I know we learned about the lore of this series during the last few episodes but I will not be incorporating everything. Somethings meshed well with my ideas. Other things didn't but were too good not to use, so some adjustments were made. Everything else will be disregarded. Also, I'd like to make it clear that the Eternia in this story is not one from any preexisting media, but rather one I have designed to mesh with the Netflix She-Ra mythos. Granted it is heavily based on the 2002 version, since that is the one I know best, but I also drew influence from the 1980s version and the comics. I've also added my own personal touches to keep things interesting. With that said, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel.

Chapter 2: Sun and Moon

(_Eternia: Three Days Later_)

The Viper's Nest.

A massive canyon roughly 2.7 miles northwest of the Evergreen Forest.

With a length of 279 miles, a width of 20 miles, and a depth of approximately 7000 feet, it is only slightly larger than the Grand Canyon of Earth.

However, unlike the previously mentioned national landmark, this particular giant hole in the ground was not on any experienced traveler's 'must see before I die' list. This is partly due to an ancient superstition regarding its origin, but mostly it's because the interior of the canyon is perpetually shrouded by an all but impenetrable ocean of fog; obscuring any sights that might be worth seeing.

But I digress.

At the exact center of the canyon, and about 2/3rds of the way down, there sat a massive stone bridge; constructed eons ago by a civilization long since forgotten by all but the most dedicated historians. And marching along this ancient overpass was a macabre parade of the some of the most terrifying creatures ever to walk the face of Eternia.

Spartoi.

Skeleton Warriors grown from dragon's teeth and possessed by an insatiable urge to kill.

Most sorcerers wouldn't dare to create even one of these monstrosities; let alone 2000 of them.

But then, most sorcerers weren't like Skeletor.

At the head of this strange procession, preceded only by a couple of ensigns to bear his standard, the dark lord of the Outcasts sat atop a magnificent palanquin; looking very much like the king he always wanted to be.

Strolling along beside him, somehow keeping pace with the four hulking brutes carrying her master, was the black sorceress, Evil-Lyn; looking as lovely as ever, if not a bit annoyed.

"Is all this _really_ necessary?" she asked, her tone somehow both respectful and annoyed. "I mean, the palanquin, the standards. With all due respect, Lord Skeletor, don't you think this is all a little much? Especially for what is supposed to be a simple raid on the palace?"

"Nonsense, Evil-Lyn." The dark lord said dismissively. "There's nothing wrong with a little showmanship. It helps throw your enemies off balance. And besides, you know what they say. Appearance is everything."

"Says the man without a face."

"_What was that?_" Skeletor asked, a bit of hellish red leaking out of his empty eye sockets.

"Uh… I-I said, I'm… in awe of this place. I never knew there was a bridge down here."

This was obviously a lie, but for some reason, Skeletor didn't feel like calling her on it.

"Few people do." He said casually as the red in his 'eyes' started to fade. "It's part of an old smugglers route. There are roads like this one all over the area. Most of them are underground, of course. But they all originate from the same place. Eternos."

"Smugglers in Eternos?" Evil-Lyn asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "That's hard to imagine"

"Sorry, I keep forgetting how young you are." Skeletor replied, sounding mildly amused by her ignorance. "Before Randor took the throne and made it his capital, Eternos was just a simple merchant town. There was a lot less security in those days, so you could get away a lot more."

"The voice of experience?"

"Well, a young man's got to have his hobbies." The dark lord said with a hint of nostalgia before continuing. "Anyway, before that, the city belonged to the Snake Men."

"Ah, so they built this bridge." Evil-Lyn reasoned.

"No, but they made good use of it back when I was a boy. These roads were instrumental to their infamous Night Raids. Many unfortunate souls were hauled across this very bridge to satisfy their dark appetites."

"Okay, then who did build it?"

"That I don't know. But it was probably built sometime before the Great Separation, and if I'm being honest, that era never held much interest to me. Your father would probably know. Why don't you ask him?"

The young sorceress said nothing, but she scowled maliciously at her master. Clearly that little jab had been revenge for her comment about his face.

"Oh, that's right. You two don't talk anymore, do you. So sorry to rub salt in your wounds." Skeletor said with mock sympathy. "Let's change the subject. How are the others fairing with their little chores?"

Despite her bitterness, Evil-Lyn knew better than to press her luck. So instead of arguing, she waved her free hand over the crystal ball on top of her staff and gazed deeply into it.

"_Hmm_… Let me see…" she said as she attempted to focus her mystic senses. "Beast Man, Two Bad and Whiplash are facing off against Ram Man and Man-E-Faces in the Vine Jungle. While Clawful and Mer-Man are keeping Stratos, Buzz-Off and Sy-Klone busy at the power plant. Stinkor seems to be holding his own against Teela, Mekaneck and Roboto in the Sands of Time. And Trap Jaw appears to be in a pub somewhere drinking peach flavored grog."

"Remind me to horsewhip him later." Skeletor said annoyedly before quickly regaining his composure. "Oh well, one goldbrick aside, everything seems to be going exactly as planned. With the bulk of the Masters distracted, all that stands between us and the Royal Palace is Man-At-Arms and…"

"**_I HAVE THE POWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!_**"

The familiar battle cry echoed off the canyon walls; startling the Spartoi Warriors into making a full stop.

Skeletor, however, was in no way surprised by this development. In fact, were is possible, he probably would've smiled.

"_Heh. Heh._ He never misses a cue."

XXX

Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the bridge, astride his mighty steed, Battle Cat, the heroic warrior He-Man, also known as Adam, Prince of Eternia, rode into battle.

By his side, riding his signature Battle Tank, was Man-At Arms; Leader of the Masters of the Universe, Advisor to King Randor, Captain of the Royal Guard, Hero of the Great Unrest and 9 Time Recipient of the Eternian Coolest Sounding Resume Award.

That last one's not a real thing, but you get the idea.

Anyway…

"So… It's Skeletor, and he's leading an army of skeletons?" asked the blonde barbarian in a tone that seemed too casual for their current situation. "I gotta hand it to him. It took an uncharacteristic amount of restraint for him to not try this sooner."

"Don't get cocky." Man-At-Arms replied, his tone pure business. "Skeletor may act like a child at times, but he's no fool. If he's willing to risk his own life by summoning an army of Spartoi, then he must know something we don't."

"What do you mean 'risk his own life'?"

"Spartoi Warriors are grown from Dragon's Teeth and are imbued with a Dragon's ferocity. No spell, no matter how powerful can keep them under control for long. Sooner or later they always turn on their masters. So for Skeletor to create this many, he's either found a way around this flaw or he's become desperate. Neither scenario is ideal for Eternia."

"I don't know. Desperation sounds like a good sign to me. Maybe he'll panic and finally give up."

"This isn't a joke, Adam." The elder Master said sternly. "You might think battling the forces of evil is all fun and games, but that's only because you haven't seen Skeletor at his worst. You have no idea what he's really capable of."

Adam was about to ask what he'd meant by that, when they came upon the first wave of Spartoi. So, setting said question aside for later, the golden-haired gladiator tightened his grip on his beloved Sword of Power and leapt from the saddle of his magnificent war beast.

Literally jumping headfirst into battle.

XXX

(_Six to Eleven Minutes Later_)

While the two heroes continued to cut their way through the skeletal horde, the orchestrators of the attack watched with morbid amusement as their forces were being decimated.

"My, My. Aren't they a couple of eager beavers." Skeletor said jokingly as he relaxed into his palanquin. "How many have they taken out so far, Evil-Lyn?"

"Hmm… let me see." The sorceress replied as she once again consulted her crystal ball. "As of now, they've each destroyed approximately 100 Spartoi. So that means we've got slightly more than 1800 left."

"_Heh-Heh_. More than enough." The dark lord said with wicked glee as he finally stood up from his mobile throne. "Order the troops to fallback. It's time for the real show to begin."

XXX

(_Back with the Heroes_)

_SLASH! _

"97!"

_SLASH! _

"98!"

_SLASH! _

"99!"

_SLASH! _

"100!" the young prince declared triumphantly as he felled his 100th Spartoi. A hollow victory, considering how many of the undead horrors still remained, but it was a victory nonetheless. "Not bad for a day's word, eh Battle Cat?"

To which the emerald tiger replied with a loud by good-natured roar.

"Yeah, I knew you'd like that."

**_BLAM! _**

**_BLAM! _**

**_BLAM! _**

**_BLAM! _**

Before Adam even knew what had happened, four more Spartoi fell to the ground behind him in a brittle heap. When he turned around he found Man-At-Arms standing there; the barrel of his arm cannon still smoking and his expression stern and irritated.

"Nice shootin', partner." The young prince said jokingly, though his mentor was clearly not amused. "_Sign_. What'd I do now?"

"You got distracted and left yourself open." He answered sternly. "For the sixth time, I might point out."

"You were counting? Wow, someone's a little obsessive compulsive."

"Notice that I am not laughing. Notice that we are still in the middle of battle."

"Notice that you are no fun at all." Adam replied childishly. "Besides, it's not like they could've actually hurt me. My skin's invulnerable. Remember?"

"Your skin is extra durable, not invulnerable. We've been over this a thousand times."

"Blah. Blah. Blah. Semantics. Look, all I know is that I've been doing this hero thing for over eight months now and I haven't been hurt once."

"That's only because so far you've been extraordinarily lucky. Which I promise you won't last forever. You need to start taking this seriously."

"I do take this seriously!" Adam spat back defensively before shifting to a less aggressive tone. "I just… I just don't see why I can't have a little fun with it. I mean, come on. You and the other Masters joke around all the time."

"Yes, but not in the heat of battle. Not when there are lives on the line. Especially our own."

"Oh please, these Skeleton Warriors are nowhere near as dangerous as you said they were. They go down after just one hit."

"I know, and that's what has me concerned." Man-At-Arms said grimly before he elaborated. "Spartoi Warriors are supposed to be able to reform indefinitely. But these just crumble to dust. Something's not right here."

"Maybe Skullface tampered with the spell or something. Sacrificing their immortality for obedience."

"_Hmm_… maybe." The old soldier said, sounding unconvinced. "But that still doesn't explain…"

"**_HE-MAN!_**" a familiar voice bellowed, instantly gaining everyone's attention. "Come and face me! One on one! Unless you're a coward!"

Unsurprisingly, they saw Skeletor standing about 50 yards away; his twin swords drawn and ready for combat.

Never being one to shy away from a fight, Adam tightened the grip on his sword and silently signaled for Battle Cat to follow him.

"Adam, what are you doing?" Man-At-Arms asked exasperatedly. "This is obviously a trap."

"Of course it is." The young prince replied. "It always is. But I'm not gonna let that faceless freak get away with calling me a coward."

"Adam…"

"Don't 'Adam' me. Look, I know I'm not the great King Randor, but I can still mop the floor with that cackling hasbin any day of the week!"

"Is that was this is about?" the old soldier said as realization started to slip into his voice. "Adam, I know what happened this morning was humiliating, but Teela didn't mean…"

"Whatever!" the young prince spat back before mounting his trusty steed. "Let's move, Cat."

And with that, he rode off to face his hated foe.

Man-At-Arms was about to go after him, when something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. It was a severed arm from one of the slain Spartoi. Or to be more precise, what was etched into its hand. Ever the suspicious type, the old soldier picked up the discarded limb to get a better look and to his great surprise he saw an image of the sun imprinted on its boney palm.

'A sun? That's strange.' He thought to himself as he began to sift through his vast military memory. 'Now where have I seen this before?'

Suddenly, a rush of horrible memories came flooding back.

Memories from the Great Unrest.

Oh yes, he had seen this foul symbol many times during those dark days.

And it was always accompanied by…

"Adam!" he exclaimed as he rushed forward to warn his young ward. "Adam, come back! The Spartoi! They're… _OOOF_!"

So focused was Man-At-Arms on the prince's potential demise that he failed to notice the large energy barrier that had appeared out of nowhere; at least until he'd already run face first into it.

"What the hell?" he asked himself confusedly, before beating his fists frantically against the presumably enchanted wall. "Adam! Adam, get out of there! It's a trap!"

XXX

With his eyes on his enemy and his heart full of rage, Adam rode towards the waiting Skeletor.

Were he in the right frame of mind, he might have noticed the enormous green bubble encasing the area.

He might also have found it strange that the Spartoi were clearing a path for him without showing even the slightest bit of resistance.

But of course, the young prince wasn't in the right frame of mind. In fact, his mind wasn't even in the present anymore. It was stuck in the past. Earlier this morning to be precise.

'Stupid Teela.' He thought bitterly as he continued to ignore the world around him. 'So, I'm just a fad am I? Just a flash in the pan? Just a pale imitation of a '_real hero_'? Well I'll show her. I'll show everyone. I am the He-Man. The first in over a millennium. I **_am_** a real hero. And I'm gonna prove it by doing the one thing my Father could never do.'

And on that lovely thought, the blonde barbarian arrived at his destination.

Skeletor stood before him; armed and ready for battle. The Spartoi had given their master a wide berth; forming a makeshift ring in which to fight. Which suited Adam just fine.

"Hey, Skelly. It's been a while." The young prince said jocularly as he dismounted his emerald tiger. "How's the collar bone?"

"Oh, it's feeling much better, He-Man. Now it only hurts when it rains." The dark lord replied casually as the blood red seeped back into his eye sockets. "And whenever I think of **_you_**!"

"Yeah, yeah, very scary. Look, I think we're both thinking the same thing here. You and me. On an ancient bridge shrouded by an impenetrable fog. With an unholy legion of the undead. This scene has Final Battle written all over it."

"My thoughts exactly." Skeletor replied sinisterly. "So what do you say, boy? Shall we make this one for keeps?"

"No running away when you start to lose?"

"Not this time. We just keep going until one of us dies."

"Sounds good to me."

"Very well then. Have at thee!"

And with that, the two warriors lunged towards each other; swords at the ready.

Now, again, had he been in the right frame of mind, Adam would've noticed that there was something seriously off about this scenario. Specifically, how strangely agreeable Skeletor was behaving. But of course, he wasn't so he didn't. Not until the dark lord passed right through him like an intangible phantom.

"What the heck?" he asked aloud as his brain attempted to compute this unprecedented turn of events.

Skeletor, or rather the pixelated phantasm that resembled him, quickly reformed itself and burst into a fit of menacing yet jovial laughter.

Confused but still curious, Adam approached the hooded figure to investigate, and, as expected, his hand passed right through it.

"A hologram?"

"_AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-__**HA**_! That's right!" the skull-faced man said amusedly. "Looks like the joke's on you, He-Man. I'm not really here. None of us are!"

Just then, Adam heard a strange flickering sound coming from behind. He quickly spun around to see what it was and, to his great alarm, he saw the sorceress Evil-Lyn and a large ornate palanquin suddenly vanish out of existence. And in their place were a pair of small, roundish, vaguely bird shaped robotic drones.

Doom Seekers.

"Yes… now you understand; don't you, boy. The divide and conquer tactics. The army of Spartoi. It was all just a clever ruse to bring you right here." Skeletor gloated in true Saturday morning cartoon villain fashion. "Oh, but you've been such a good sport about all this. You really should be commended. Boys, give Prince Muscles a hand!"

Suddenly, the Spartoi all dropped their weapons and raised their hands to display their palms.

The right ones all bore the image of a Blazing Sun.

And the left ones bore a Crescent Moon.

Adam's blood quickly turned cold. He knew these symbols well. They'd been drilled into his head by his history tutor. They were a relic leftover from the Great Unrest.

For the first time since acquiring his Sword of Power, the young prince feared for his life as a dark realization dawned on him.

The Spartoi were never meant to be soldiers.

They were Suicide Bombers.

Over a thousand of them.

Adam took a single step in a feeble attempt to escape, but before he could take another, the Skeletal Warriors had already clapped their hands together.

And then…

**_BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!_**

XXX

(_Meanwhile, in the Dark Hemisphere_)

Deep within the imposing and fortified stronghold known as Snake Mountain, the dark lord of the Outcasts and his loyal Second in Command were cackling over their latest triumph. Although you'd never know it was them by looking. For instead of their usual attire, the two dark magic users were dressed in light green, skintight, full body suits covered in little white balls.

"_AH-HA-HA-HA-__**HA**_! Did you see the look on his face? **_Priceless!_**" Skeletor gloated in a manner reminiscent of an excited child. "What did you think of that last line, Evil-Lyn? You know, the 'Give him a hand' thing. Was it too much? It felt right in the moment, but now I'm not so sure."

"Honestly Master, it seemed a little forced."

"Really? _Hmmm_. Oh, maybe I should've said '_Bomb Voyage_' instead?"

"No, that would've been worse."

"_Hmm_… Ah, who cares? All that matters is that He-Man is dead. And it's all thanks to the three of us!" the faceless fiend said exuberantly before shifting his gaze towards his faithful technician; who up until that point had been silently working from a terminal in the corner. "Tri-Klops, these motion capture suits were a stroke of genius."

"Thank you, Master." The cyborg replied humbly before shifting his mechanical visor towards Evil-Lyn. "And _you_ said pillaging that animation studio was a waste of time."

"Yes, yes, I was wrong and you were right." The dark sorceress replied begrudgingly, before quickly adding. "_For the first time in your life_."

"Now, now, none of that, you two." Skeletor stepped in paternally. "Your lord and master does not wish to see such ugly behavior. This was a team effort, after all. Tri-Klops provided the holographic technology to create our convincing simulacra. Evil-Lyn provided the kamikaze, Spartoi and shield spells. And I devised the perfect scenario to lure He-Man to his doom. Teamwork makes the dream work~ _AH-HA-HA-HA-__**HA**_!"

"While I hate to spoil your good mood, Lord Skeletor. I must point out that it's a little early to be celebrating." Evil-Lyn explained in as respectful a tone as she could muster. "An explosion of that magnitude might be enough to kill an ordinary warrior, but He-Man possesses the ancient power of the Elders. His body is far more resilient than any normal human. If the Prince managed to stay conscious during the explosion, and the fall, and the rapids down below, there's a chance, albeit a slim one, that he's still alive."

"_Sigh_. As always, your council is wise, Evil-Lyn. Very well, before we celebrate, we will confirm whether He-Man is truly dead."

"I can equip our remaining Doom Seekers with bio-scanners." Tri-Klops suggested. "It should only take an hour."

"That won't be necessary." Skeletor replied with casual bluntness. "No, a job like this requires… expertise. Tell me, the river beneath the Viper's Nest, where does it lead?"

"I believe it flows directly into the heart of the Evergreen Forest."

"I see… Doesn't the Spider Guild have a base somewhere in that area?"

"I think so, Sir. I fact I'm almost certain they do."

"Excellent. Evil-Lyn, contact Webstor and tell him I'm offering a reward."

"A reward, Master?"

"Yes. 10,000 gold pieces to the man who brings me incontestable evidence of He-Man's demise. And 100,000 if they bring me his head on a plate."

"At once, my lord."

"Now hold on a second." Tri-Klops interjected. "Lord Skeletor, I don't mean to question your wisdom, but… 100,000 gold pieces? That's kind of a lot, don't you think?"

"The Spiders are driven by their unrelenting avarice. The more money we offer, the more motivated they will be." Skeletor explained as the blood red returned to his empty sockets. "And besides, if this works out, it will be worth every penny."

End Notes:

Just to clarify a few things.

1) Prince Adam's identity as He-Man is not a secret in this universe. I figured if Adora's not pulling the secret identity cliché why should her brother?

2) In this version, Skeletor's forces are called the Outcasts. Why? Because Evil Warriors sounds too generic and it just seemed appropriate given the ragtag nature of the group.

With that said, thanks for reading and I'll see you next time.

Peace.


	4. Chapter 3: Royal Affairs

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel.

Chapter 3: Royal Affairs

(_The Eternian Royal Palace: Later that Night_)

It was a dismal scene in the throne room that night.

In his many years as a soldier, Man-At-Arms had delivered hundreds of death notifications to hundreds of grieving families, but never before had it been this difficult.

As he recounted the events that led up to this tragedy, the old captain felt as though he were on the witness stand, under the piercing gaze of some cruel and uncompromising arbiter.

Which in a sense wasn't that far from the truth.

King Randor was a seasoned warrior who had seen death a thousand times and what's more, he was Man-At-Arms' oldest friend. He knew that he was not blame for this fiasco.

Queen Marlena on the other hand was nowhere near as forgiving. Despite having once been a soldier herself, she was first and foremost a mother. And as such, the loss of her only son demanded swift and possibly violent retribution. He just prayed that her rage was directed towards Skeletor and his Outcasts, and not on himself or his daughter.

When Man-At-Arms finally finished his report, the old soldier raised himself from his genuflect and craned his neck upward to look his liege in the eye; both out of necessity and as a sign of respect.

For several moments, the King said nothing; stroking his beard in contemplation. While his Queen sat beside him; the picture of silent fury. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he broke the silence and said,

"Captain, when the explosion went off, who was my son?"

"I beg your pardon?" Man-At-Arms replied, soundly slightly confused.

"What I mean is, was Adam in his normal form or was he He-Man?"

"Oh, well, I can't say for sure, Sire. As I mentioned before, I didn't have a clear line of sight."

"But to the best of your knowledge my son _was_ in his He-Man form at the time of the explosion?"

"Yes, Sire. I believe that is most likely the case. Given the circumstances."

"I see, then given the circumstances, we must assume that Adam is alive, until we find evidence to the contrary."

"Yes, Sire. I believe that is the wisest course of action."

"Really, then why didn't you mention it in your initial report?"

A sudden, awkward silence fell over the throne room. Despite having been friends with him for over three decades, Man-At-Arms still felt paralyzed whenever he fell under King Randor's hawk like gaze. Mind you, there was no malice or indignation in his tone, but something in those baby blue eyes of his just sent shivers down the old soldier's spine.

Instead of letting him respond, the King turned to his Queen, and after allowing his expression to soften up a bit, he said to her,

"Dearest, I'm afraid it's getting rather late. Perhaps you should retire for the evening while the two of us deal with this situation."

Now, Marlena wasn't exactly your standard storybook queen. In fact, most of the time she could be pretty bullheaded. However, after twenty years of marriage to the most powerful man on the planet, she had learned when to speak her mind and when to just duck out and let the men handle things.

Now was one of the latter.

"Very well." She said in as regal a tone as she could muster. "I shall await you in the bedroom."

And after giving both her husband and the Captain of the Guards a respectful curtsy, she quickly exited the room.

With the Queen gone, the two men were finally alone. And so, using every once of decorum he could marshal, and after combing through his exhaustive lexicon, the great King Randor calmly and eloquently asked his dearest friend the one question that had been weighing on his soul so heavily.

"What the hell, Duncan?"

"Randor, I…"

"Don't give me any excuses." The King said with cold intensity. "We both know you're much smarter than I am. So if the possibility of Adam's survival was obvious to me, then of course it was obvious to you. And knowing you as well as I do, it's safe to assume that you've already ordered Teela to start putting together a search party. But what I don't understand is why you tried to keep this from me."

Man-At-Arms was mentally chastising himself for pulling such an obvious and underhanded ploy. Regardless of his intentions or the outcome, he never should've tried to keep important information from his King. So, rather than dig himself in any deeper, the old soldier just sighed and spoke the truth.

"Because him surviving would be much worse for everyone."

To his credit, the King didn't react to this; at least not in any way noticeable to the human eye. He kept his cool just as he'd done countless times in the heat of battle.

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"It means that despite what your son likes to think, he is not immortal." Man-At-Arms explained in a stern yet respectful tone. "I have no doubt in my mind that Adam survived the explosion, and the fall, and the river. But no one, not even He-Man, can endure that much punishment without taking damage. If he is indeed alive at this very moment, as I suspect he is, then he is most likely in a great deal of pain. Lost and alone somewhere in the Evergreen Forest, with broken bones and internal bleeding. Without proper treatment and soon, odds are he'll die. And he'll die in one of the slowest and most painful ways imaginable."

Once again, Randor didn't react to this news in the way you'd expect. Instead he just sat quietly and waited for his old friend to finish.

"I've already assigned Teela to put together a search party, and while I have tremendous faith in her tracking skills, the Evergreen Forest is just too vast. And even if she had the entirety of the palace guards at her disposal, the odds would still be against her." The old captain paused for a brief moment to banish a random unpleasant thought from his mind before continuing. "I tried to keep this from you and Marlena because I didn't want to needlessly raise your hopes only to have to dash them later, or burden you with unnecessary details. Because in all likelihood, this will not end well."

"I see." King Randor said, finally breaking his silence. "Then your goal was to spare my feelings and those of my wife. To spare us the painful details of our son's probable demise. Is that it?"

"Yes, Sir. I believe that is the best way to put."

"How very considerate of you, Duncan. I've always said you were a good friend." The King said warmly before his expression grew stern and cold. "Never do it again."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Do you think me a child, Duncan? Do you think me so emotional, so irrational, that I need to be shielded from certain realities?"

"Randor, I only meant…"

"Well I am **_not_** a child, Duncan. I can read and write and think for myself. And I can speak quite eloquently too. I can even pronounce long, complex words, such as '_dishonorable discharge_' and '_humiliating dismissal_'."

"Sire, I…"

"Let me make one thing clear, _Captain_. I may be your friend, but above all else, I am your King. And lying to your King, for any reason, is a serious offense." He continued, his tone calm yet cutting. "It is not your job to decide what I do or don't need to know. Your job is to give me all of the information available so I can make informed decisions. And if said information happens to impact my or my wife's emotional state, then _I_ will deal with it, not you. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Sire. 100%."

"Good. Because the last thing I want to do is tarnish your sterling military career over something as trivial as a failure to communicate." The King said as his tone and expression finally eased up a bit. "Now, back to more important matters. Where is your daughter on rescuing my son?"

"I gave her the order just before I came to see you." Man-At-Arms replied, his voice laced with trace amounts of paternal pride. "So knowing her, she's probably on her way out right now."

XXX

(_Elsewhere in the Palace_)

With her trusty gilded staff in hand and determination in her eyes, Teela strode confidently down the marble hallway; about two dozen Royal Guardsmen following close behind.

It was going to be a difficult assignment, not to mention an awkward one, but as God as her witness she intended to see it through. Not that she had any personal stake in this mind you. Sure, her sparring session with the Prince and the subsequent ribbing she gave him may have motivated him to act recklessly in a dangerous situation, but ultimately the fault was his own.

No, this was not about guilt or any other such shallow emotions. This was about duty and the future of her planet. Eternia needed strong leadership and since King Randor was not immortal their had to be an heir to the throne. And for better or worse, Adam was the next in line.

Many, her father included, had already accepted that the Prince would not be found in time to save his life, but Teela refused to believe such nonsense. Adam was many things, but weak wasn't one of them. He possessed the legendary power of the Elders and, although she would never say this to his face, an indominable will that greatly surpassed it.

No, Adam would not die, not like this. He was too damned stubborn.

The young Master and her band of 'volunteers' were nearing the southern rampart where they were to mount their Wind Raiders, when a familiar voice chimed in.

"Hey, Teela!" said the owner of said voice as he floated up to the young woman; forcing her to come to a halt. "_Phew_. Thank goodness I caught you before you left."

Unsurprisingly, the interloper turned out to be a short, bluish, vaguely elflike creature dressed in the traditional red and gold trappings of a Master Sorcerer. And although its face and body were largely concealed by its flowing robe and floppy hat, Teela recognized the figure instantly.

"Oh, hello, Orko." She said in a stern yet polite tone. "It's nice to see you too, but I can't stop to talk. I have an important mission to accomplish."

"I know. That's why I'm here." The Trollan mage replied cheerily. "I wanna help you guys find Adam and bring him home."

A few snickers arose from the crowd behind her, but a quick glare from Teela put a stop to it.

"That's very… thoughtful of you, Orko. But we have it under control."

"I know that, but I can help speed things up. I've been working on this new spell…"

Upon hearing the word 'spell' several of the senior guardsmen winced and braced themselves for whatever mayhem was about to ensue. But alas, no such thing occurred. Instead, Orko just pulled something out of his sleeve and held it up for all to see. To everyone's confusion, it turned out to be a tiny silver ball on a long silver chain.

"See, I found this book in the library at Castle Grayskull and it's all about dowsing and how to…"

"Dowsing? Seriously, Orko?" Teela asked annoyedly. "We're trying to find the Prince, not a well."

"I know, but dowsing can be used to find all sorts of things. Just bring me along and I'll lead us right to him."

Despite the assuredness in the Magician's voice, Teela was not convinced. But still, she didn't want to hurt the little fellow's feelings. So she tried to break it to him gently.

"Orko, I understand that you and Prince Adam are very close, and your devotion to him should be commended. But I think it would be best if you just stayed here."

"What? Why?"

"Because you're a screwup." Said one of the nameless guards, instantly earning another scathing glare from the young Master.

"No, you are most definitely not a screwup." Teela told the Trollan in an attempt to spare his feelings. "You just… possess certain qualities that would make you… less than helpful in this situation."

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Orko asked, clearly seening through her cheap ploy.

"_sigh. _How do I say this? Do you remember three years ago when you volunteered to take care of the Royal Gardens while the regular gardener was on vacation?"

"Yeah, and I did a pretty good job."

"Yes you did, until you used your magic to summon a rain cloud and a bolt of lightning started a fire."

"Which my magic helped put out." The Mage argued defensively.

"Okay… but what about last year's Royal Summit? Remember how you used your magic to create a dessert from your home dimension? A dessert that gave everyone food poisoning."

"The recipe only served five people. I had to multiply the ingredients in my head and I guess I got confused. But that won't happen this time. Honest. The dowsing spell is real simple. All I have to do is animate the chain with my magic and it'll show us where to go."

"_sigh_. Alright, I didn't want to have to bring this up, but do you remember six months ago when you animated that suit of armor to act as the Queen's bodyguard?"

"Uh… yes." Orko answered, suddenly sounding very uncomfortable.

"And do you remember what happened?"

"It… It may have attacked someone because it thought they were making rude gestures at the Queen."

"But he wasn't making rude gestures, was he?"

"No, Ma'am."

"Then what was he doing?"

"…being deaf…"

"Exactly. Look, Orko, we all know you mean well, but your magic… well, it's just too unpredictable. And the only time it doesn't cause problems is when you use it to entertain. So why don't you just stick with that and leave the heroics to people who know what they're doing. Okay?"

"Okay…" Orko replied ruefully as he floated out of Teela's way; hanging his head in shame. "Good luck on your mission."

"Thank you." She said respectfully. "And don't worry, we'll have Adam back home in no time. Just you wait."

And with that, she and her fellow would be rescuers resumed their march to the ramparts; leaving the Trollan Mage to sulk in privacy.

"So… I'm just a screwup, am I? Only good for making people laugh?" he said aloud as he tightened his fist around his silver Dowsing Chain. "I'll show them."

End Notes:

Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time.


	5. Chapter 4: First Encounter

Hello, and welcome to the latest chapter of my She-Ra story. Not in the mood to mess around, so let's get right to it. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Enjoy.

Chapter 4: First Encounter

(_The Evergreen Forest: The Next Morning_)

Warmth…

That's the first thing Adam felt as his senses started to return.

A strange, and yet somehow familiar warmth enveloping his entire body.

Cocooning him in a comforting aura that soothed his aching muscles and loosened his stiff joints.

But more than that, this… whatever it was, seemed to be having an even greater effect on his mind.

No, not his mind, his soul.

Yes, his soul.

It was as if someone or something was giving his very life essence a warm, snuggly hug.

He felt happy.

He felt at peace with the world.

He felt, dare I say it, loved.

But then he opened his eyes and suddenly all those good feelings disappeared.

For upon doing so, he found himself laying on his back in a dark, unfamiliar room, with a tall, unknown figure pointing a sword at his throat.

"**_GYAAAAAAAH!_**" the young Prince exclaimed as he scuttled backwards in a frantic attempt to escape; only to bang the back of his head against a large rock. "**_AAAHH! DAMN IT!_**"

"Oh, Jeez! I am so sorry!" said the figure, sounding genuinely concerned and equally as frantic. "Are you alright?"

"Like you care!" Adam exclaimed defensively as he staggered to his feet. "Sneaky little wretch, trying to kill me in my sleep."

"What? No! I wasn't trying to kill you. I was trying to heal you." The figure replied, still looking a bit blurry from his perspective.

"How? By cutting my throat with a sword? Yeah, that makes perfect sense." The young Prince said sarcastically, before getting a good look at the weapon in question. "Wait a minute, that's my sword!"

"Uh, No it's not. This is _my_ sword."

"Like hell it is! Give me that!"

And with childish defiance, Adam snatched the sword from his captor's hand and started brandishing it about with reckless abandon.

"Now see here, whoever you are! I don't know how things are where you come from, but around here a man's weapon is his life! It is an extension of his body and more precious than gold! And you just can't… this isn't my sword."

Yes, as embarrassing as it was admit, the young Prince had made a grievous error. Upon closer inspection he realized that the weapon in question was in fact not his own; although it was oddly similar. The hilt appeared to be of an identical make, only it was gold instead of silver, with a small, oval shaped gem in the center. Likewise, the blade had an identical crystalline structure, but while his resembled a white diamond, this one was more akin to an aquamarine.

This was most definitely not his Sword of Power, but an incredible simulacrum.

"Oh… Eh, _Heh-Heh_, Oh boy…" Adam said awkwardly as his cheeks began to burn with embarrassment. "So… there seems to have been a mistake made here."

"You don't say." The other figure said sarcastically. "Now if you don't mind, can I have my sword back now?"

"Yeah, sure." The young Prince replied, his cheeks still ablaze as he returned the peculiar weapon to its rightful owner.

It was at this moment that Adam finally got a good look at his mysterious captor and, to his immense surprise, the shadowy figure turned out to be a young girl; about the same age as himself, if her height was anything to go by. Her frame was lean yet muscular, again not unlike himself, with dirty blonde hair and soft blue eyes. Her clothes, although smudged and riddled with tears, suggested that she was connected to some kind of military, albeit one he was not familiar with; probably some small town farmer's militia or some such thing. At any rate, she was not what he had been expecting. Although with a face like that, she was far from unwelcome.

"Uh… you okay?" the mystery girl asked confusedly. "You kinda spaced out there for a second."

"Whuh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just… I'm a little confused about what's going on. Where am I? How did I get here? And why were you pointing that sword at me?"

"Well, for starters, you're in a cave." The girl answered as she gestured for him to look around. And upon doing so, the young Prince saw that she was telling the truth. "Specifically, you're in a cave that's deep in a forest and right next to a river. That's where I found you a little while ago. You were in pretty bad shape, so I dragged you in here so I could heal you with my sword."

"Okay, I understood most of that, but how the hell is a sword supposed to heal anybody?"

"Yeah… Light Hope wasn't really clear on the specifics. Honestly, I was just improvising, but I guess it worked since it looks like you're all better now. What happened to you anyway? How'd you end up in that river?"

"I'm a little hazy on the details myself." Adam admitted. "Last thing I remember, I was fighting Skeletor and his Outcasts on some bridge and then… nothing. That crazy freak must've hit me with a flash bomb or something, 'cause everything else is just a blur."

"Well you must've been in that river a while, because you were really messed up when I pulled you out."

Upon hearing this, Adam took a moment to examine himself and, sure enough, his clothing corroborated her story. His favorite vest was torn and tattered, and his once clean white shirt was now covered in his own blood. He was completely dry, somehow, but the young Prince attributed that to whatever sorcery the strange girl had used to heal him.

You know, it's funny. Most people would probably freak out or fall into despair upon learning how close they came to death. But not Adam. No, he was just happy to be alive. And of course, he was _really_ happy to be in the presence of such a lovely young maiden.

"Yeah, well, what doesn't kill me only makes me more badass." The young Prince said jokingly, before switching back to serious mode. "But in all seriousness, thanks for saving my life."

"No problem. It's kinda what I do."

"Well be that as it may, I insist on taking you back home with me. I know my parents are gonna be just as grateful and they'll probably want to reward you."

"Thanks, but that's really not…"

"No, I insist. I never forget a favor. Besides, there'll probably be a big feast in your honor and from the looks of it, you could really use one."

The mystery girl opened her mouth, presumably to argue, but her stomach soon let out a low rumble that quickly settled the issue.

"_Heh-heh_… I guess I could use a good meal." She said, soundly slightly embarrassed, before she attempted to change the subject. "So… are your parents rich or something?"

At this, Adam had himself a good laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"_Heh-Heh-Heh_… Oh come on, you know."

"Know what?"

Suddenly, Adam ceased his levity and adopted a much more bewildered expression.

"You do know who I am… right?"

"Should I?"

"I'm _Adam_. Prince of Eternia. Guardian of the Secrets of Castle Grayskull. Defender of the weak and downtrodden. Any of this ringing a bell?"

"Not really." She replied, sounding just as perplexed as he did. "What's a prince?"

"What's a pri… _What's a prince_?" Adam parroted in exasperation. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope, sorry."

"_Ugh_… Okay, you know what a King and Queen are, don't you?"

The strange girl nodded in reply.

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere. Okay, it's like this. My parents are the King and Queen of Eternia, and as their son, I'm next in line for the throne."

"Oh, so you're like a Princess."

At this, Adam's left eye began to twitch.

"Yeah, _kinda_."

"Sorry, I didn't know it was possible for a boy to be a Princesses."

"I didn't know it was possible _not_ to know that!"

"Hey, don't yell at me, alright. I'm having a really tough week. First I had to travel across the Crimson Waste. And then I had to fight Catra on top of this weird tower, that hit me with this flash of light and sent me to this weird forest. And then I…"

"_Oh_…" the young Prince interrupted as all the pieces finally came together in his mind. "You're from another planet, aren't you?"

The stranger said nothing, but the surprised expression on her face told him that he was correct.

"I knew it." He said, trying not to sound smug. "The uniform alone should've tipped me off."

"Wait a minute, you sound like you've been through this before." The girl replied confusedly.

"Oh yeah, this sort of thing happens all the time. Why? Have you never met someone from another planet before?"

"Up until recently, I didn't think there were any other planets."

"Really? That's weird. But anyway, Eternia revolves around a star that's at the exact center of the known universe, so a lot of lost explorers and whatnot tend to washup here by accident. That's how my parents met actually."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, but that's another story. Anyway, I know we just met, but I _am_ the Prince of this World, and as such I am honor bound to help those in trouble. Especially if they've already helped me and are as good-looking as you. So, if you want, I can take you back to the Palace, and perhaps my parents can help you find a place to stay. Somewhere much nicer than this damp old cave."

"That's… uh… very kind of you." The stranger said awkwardly. "But I really need to be getting back home. So if you could help me with that instead…"

Suddenly, Adam got a very unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach; and judging by the expression on the stranger's face, it showed.

"What's wrong?" she asked concernedly.

"I'm sorry. It's just… that may not be possible." He answered regretfully. "What I mean is… Eternia is rather… isolated. We know about other worlds because of our many visitors, but we can't go to them ourselves. We have no spaceships. No teleporters. No interstellar communicators. And although we can see the stars in our nighttime sky, we are further away from them than they are from each other. Coming here is almost always a one-way trip."

"So you're saying I'm _stuck_ here? _Forever_?"

"That's… one way of looking at it. But you know… the ancient scriptures call Eternia the Oasis at the Center of the Universe. Don't think of it as being stranded. Think of it as… a reward. Yeah, that's it. A paradise at the end of a long journey."

Adam immediately ceased his shallow prattle when he saw that it wasn't helping. In fact, it seemed to only make his new friend feel worse.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I was only trying to…"

"I know what you were trying to do!" the stranger said harshly as she clenched her fists; fighting back tears in her eyes. "But you don't understand! I'm supposed to be the Defender of Etheria. I'm supposed to defeat the Horde and restore balance to my world. But if what you say is true, then Etheria is doomed. Without me, the rebellion will fail. I… I let everyone down."

Although he was severely lacking in context, the young Prince understood enough of the stranger's words to empathize with her. After all, he himself was the sworn protector of his own world.

"Hey, come on now, don't cry." He said, putting a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "Maybe… Maybe I jumped the gun a little on this one. Where exactly is this… 'Etheria'? What Star System is it in?"

"Well… that's kinda hard to explain." The stranger answered, wiping the tears from her eyes. "You see, it's in a place called Despondos that exists outside the rest of the universe."

"You mean like another dimension?"

"Yeah, that's the word Light Hope used. Another dimension. Why?"

"Because that changes everything!" Adam said excitedly, before calming himself enough to explain. "Eternia might not have anything to offer in terms of space travel, but we've no shortage of magic users who can move between dimensions. And one of them just happens to live in my castle."

"You're kidding."

"I assure you, I would never toy with the emotions of a maiden in destress. Especially not one as breathtaking as yourself."

Normally, such a cheesy come-on would've resulted in either a blow to the stomach or a swift kick to the crotch. However, in this case the strange girl was apparently so overwhelmed with gratitude that instead of giving in to her baser instincts she embraced the young Prince in a tight but welcome hug.

"Thank you." She said before pulling away from the embrace.

"Don't mention it. By the way, I never got your name."

"It's Adora."

"Oh, well then it's nice to meet you, Adora." Adam replied warmly, before setting his sights on the mouth of the cave. "Now on to business. From the looks of those trees, I'd say we're somewhere in the Evergreen Forest."

"Is that good?"

"Are you kidding? It's a hell of a lot better than good. It means we're within spitting distance of the Capital. All we have to do is climb up on Battle Cat and we'll be there in…"

Just then, a disturbing realization dawned on the young Prince.

Battle Cat, his oldest friend and loyal steed was nowhere to be found.

And even worse, neither was his trusty Sword of Power.

"Uh-oh." He said in what was quite possibly the greatest underreaction in the history of Eternia.

"What's wrong?" asked Adora.

To which Adam replied.

"Things just got a lot more complicated."

End Notes:

Happy Labor Day!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review.

Peace.


	6. Chapter 5: Business as Usual

This chapter was a monster to write and edit, so I hop you appreciate all the work I do for you. Anyway, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Yadda. Yadda. Enjoy.

Chapter 5: Business as Usual

(_Snake Mountain: Around the same time_)

Deep within the Dark Hemisphere, beyond the Plains of Eternal Suffering and just south of the Valley of Unimaginable Horror, sits the tall and imposing fortress known as Snake Mountain.

And deep within this tower of terror, upon a throne made from the remains of his fallen adversaries, sat the Dark Lord of the Outcasts, the Great and Terrible Skeletor.

And as he sat there, gently scratching his beloved dylinx, Panthor, behind his ears, he looked down on his loyal followers and smiled; at least in spirit anyway.

For today, they were all going to participate in one of the faceless fiend's favorite rituals.

The weekly staff meeting.

Now I know what you're thinking, it seems strange that an archvillain of Skeletor's caliber would get this keyed up about something as mundane and tedious as a staff meeting, and you're right. It is a little odd, but there's a method to this madness.

Firstly, despite his reputation for being cruel and ruthless, which was well deserved, Skeletor rather enjoyed listening to his followers spitball new ideas for conquering Eternia. In his own opinion, brainstorming new ideas for destroying their enemies was a superb teambuilding exercise.

And second, he just _adored_ being the center of attention.

But I digress.

As was usual with this sort of thing, everyone was gathered in the throne room; chatting amongst themselves while they waited for the meeting to start; with two notable exceptions. The first being Stinkor, who was required to attend the meeting via hologram from his room on the far side of the building; for obvious reasons. The other was Two Bad, who always served as Skeletor's secretary during these meetings; partly because he/they were so well organized, but largely because the two-headed ogre rarely had anything useful to contribute.

"Alright everybody, settle down." Said Tuvar, the blue head, as he attempted in vain to talk over everyone else. "We've got a lot to cover today, so let's try to… I said we've got a lot to cover, so… I said we've… _Ugh_!"

"**_SHUT THE HELL UP!_**" roared Baddrah, the purple head, instantly silencing the entire room.

"Thank you." Said Tuvar, to both his comrades and his other half. "Now then, as I was saying, we've got a lot to cover today, so let's try to keep the bickering to a minimum. Okay?"

The others all responded with a silent nod.

"Okay." The blue ogre said, pausing briefly to check the to do list on his data pad before continuing. "First item on the agenda, there's the matter of Trap Jaw's apparent desertion during Operation Snake Charmer. Trap Jaw, step forward, if you please."

Out of all the Outcasts, Trap Jaw was by far the easiest to recognize. Not because he was the smartest, or the strongest, or anything like that, but rather it was because his… well… _grotesque_ appearance made it very easy to pick him out in a crowd; which I suppose is why he never got assigned to any missions that required stealth. With his numerous scars, cybernetic arm and cast iron mandible, Trap Jaw was in no danger of winning any beauty contests. And yet it could not be denied that this misshapen abomination carried with him a certain air of dignity. As if he cared nothing about how he looked or how other people saw him.

At least that's what it seemed like as he knelt before his Master.

"Trap Jaw." Skeletor said sternly. "You stand accused of desertion. Dereliction of duty during one of our most important operations. Leaving poor, innocent Stinkor to fend for himself against not one, but three Masters of the Universe. And all so you could go _drinking in __**the middle of the day**_!"

The Dark Lord's voice shook the walls of the throne room, which is why he took a moment to calm down before he continued.

"Now, under normal circumstances you'd be up to your eyeballs in battery acid right now. But since you've proven your loyalty to me so many times in the past, and because I'm such a nice guy, I'm going to give you, oh… let's say five minutes to explain yourself." He said as an aura of hellish red filled his eye sockets. "I suggest you not waste them."

To his credit, Trap Jaw didn't cower or grovel like a normal person would in this situation. Instead he remained perfectly calm as he prepared to defend himself.

"Lord Skeletor." The monstrous cyborg said respectfully. "I understand the severity of my crimes, and if you see fit to punish me, I will not resist. But please believe me, what I did, I did for the good of us all."

"_Ha_. This should be good." Evil-Lyn muttered amusedly; earning a caustic glare from her Master.

"Please continue, Trap Jaw."

"Thank you, my Lord. Now as I was saying, while on route to the Sands of Time I received a transmission from our mole within the Spider Guild, informing me that he had classified intel he wished to share. I know I should've contacted you and gotten permission before abandoning the operation, but I was told there was only a small window of time when we could meet. So I made an executive decision and went straight to the rendezvous point."

"At a pub?" Skeletor asked dubiously.

"It was a neutral location, equidistant from the Sands of Time and where he was currently stationed. Besides, it was a well-known hangout for criminals and mercenaries, so seeing the two of us there didn't arose any suspicion."

"I see… So tell me, Trap Jaw, why did Evil-Lyn see you there alone when she peered into her crystal ball? And why did you not attempt to rejoin Stinkor once your meeting was complete?"

"As I said before, there was only a small window when we could meet. Really it was more of a handoff than a meeting. And as for why I didn't return, the intel he gave me is on a small data drive. I didn't want to risk it getting lost or damaged in the heat of battle, so I remained where I was until I received word of your victory. And besides, with his powers, I knew Stinkor would be more than a match for a handful of Masters."

"Well, you just have an answer for everything, don't you." Said the Dark Lord, still sounding a little suspicious of his subordinate. "But tell me, where is this alleged data drive of yours?"

"Right here, Master." The malformed cyborg replied as he pushed a hidden button on his cybernetic arm, causing a tiny data drive to eject from his shoulder. "As per protocol, I haven't looked at the information myself, so I will let you decide if my actions were justified, my Liege."

Without another word, Skeletor took the mysterious drive from his seemingly loyal servant and, after borrowing Two Bad's data pad, he began to examine its contents. For a solid eight and a half minutes he just sat there, scrolling some unseen data stream, his expression completely unreadable; not that this was anything new.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Dark Lord looked up from his screen and said in a clam, clear voice,

"Very good, Trap Jaw. All is forgiven."

And with that, the matter was closed.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Trap Jaw stood up and rejoined his fellow Outcasts. Many of them wondered what bit of intel could be so juicy that it would cause their Master to spare the cyborg's life, but they all knew better than to question him.

In Snake Mountain, Skeletor's word was law.

"Alright people, let's not dawdle. We've still got a lot to do." Tuvar said, having retrieved his data pad. "Up next on the agenda we have… Beast Man's proposal for a new scheme. Step forward, Beast Man."

Not needing to be told twice, the hulking man-ape took center stage; followed swiftly by a hovering Doom Seeker.

"With pleasure." He muttered smugly before loudly proclaiming to all, "Fellow Outcasts! Lord Skeletor. For too long our great organization has been at a serious disadvantage when it comes to gathering intel from our enemies. Doom Seekers are too easily recognized. Cloaks and bugs can be scanned for. And now, thanks to the efforts of that bastard Man-At-Arms, nearly every government facility on the Light Hemisphere comes equipped with facial recognition devices, biomolecular scanners, and even dark magic detectors. Making our attempts at espionage all but pointless."

Upon hearing this, several of his colleagues nodded in agreement.

"But no longer. For you see, my friends, I have found the solution to all our problems. The ultimate in surveillance and infiltration technology. My fellow Outcasts, I give you… The Psychic Popinjay!"

On cue, the Doom Seeker moved into position and projected a large, three-dimensional image of a purple, vaguely parrotlike creature.

"It's… a bird?" asked Skeletor, speaking for everyone's collected confusion.

"Yes, my Lord. But not just any bird. This is a rare and unusual bird. The elusive Psychic Popinjay!"

"So you keep saying." The Dark Lord said, sounding unimpressed. "But they can't be all that rare. I've seen hundreds of these things on the Light Hemisphere."

"No Master, you've only seen Common Popinjays." Beast Man corrected him, trying not to sound condescending. "Pretty to look at, but mostly useless; basically just brightly colored pigeons. Psychic Popinjays, however, are infinitely more impressive. They go for about five hundred gold pieces on the black market."

"Okay, I'll bite. What makes these flying rats so valuable?"

"Well, as the name suggests, they have psychic powers. They communicate with each other using telepathy, which comes in handy when looking for food or during mating season. But by implanting a small transmitter device into their brains, we can tap into that telepathy, and see and hear everything they do, via a wireless receiver…"

"Stop." Skeletor interrupted before turning to his chief inventor. "Tri-Klops, is there any truth to what he's saying?"

"Well… I can't say I've ever heard of these Psychic Popinjays." The three eyed cyborg admitted. "But I've read about fishermen implanting similar devices in the brains of Sea Ravens. So the technology does exist."

"I see… Very well, Beast Man. You may continue."

"Eh… Yes, Sir. _Ahem_. As I was saying, I've already purchased a breeding pair through the Spider Guild and once they've mated and their eggs have hatched we can start training our new flock to…"

"Stop." The Dark Lord interrupted again. "Why do we need to breed more? Why not just use the ones we already have?"

"B-Because they're too old to survive the procedure. In order to ensure the success of this project, we need to implant the transmitters shortly after they hatch. And we'll need to start training them as soon as they can fly. It'll take about six months, but once they're fully trained we'll have a whole flock of spies. Efficient. Imperceptible. Completely undetectable."

"What about the transmitters?" Skeletor interrupted yet again.

"Uh… eh… W-What, Sir?"

"The transmitters, Beast Man. The ones we'll be putting inside the Popinjays' brains. The things we need to be able to see what they see. How do you intend to keep them from triggering the alarms?"

"Well I… I… Huh?"

"Because, as we all know, those biomolecular scanners you mentioned earlier are designed to react if they detect any unregistered technology inside a living body. You know, to prevent someone from doing exactly what you've just described."

"Well I… I guess I didn't think about that."

"No, you didn't." Skeletor said derisively. "Your proposal is rejected. Better luck next time."

"But-But, Sir! Maybe we can work around the scanners… somehow. Can't we at least try?"

"Don't beg, Beast Man. It makes me not like you."

"But I already spent my last thousand gold pieces on the breeding pair!"

"**_Well then that was a very stupid thing to do, now wasn't it!_**" the Dark Lord roared, clearly having had enough of this foolishness. "Beast Man, next time, try thinking before you make such an impulsive decision. Now get out of my sight before I make an impulsive decision of my own."

And with that, the orange man-ape did as he was told.

From then on out, the meeting proceeded without incident.

After Beast Man, it was Evil-Lyn's turn to propose a new scheme. In her case, she suggested creating an army of Lava Golems to attack the Kingdom of Viridas; arguing that even if the Masters destroyed them, they could still ravage the ecosystem of one of Eternia's largest agricultural exporters. Naturally, this plan received high praise from her Master and thunderous applause from her peers; save for one who just grumbled bitterly.

Next came Tri-Klops who gave a status update on his latest project, the Hypersonic Atomic Disruptor Cannon. Admittedly, the construction was taking a little longer than expected, but aside from that everything was moving along quite smoothly, so he too received Skeletor's approval.

After this is was Clawful's turn to give his report outlining his latest trip to the Spider's Market. The big lug was happy to announce that thanks to his almost obsessive passion for clipping coupons, he had not only secured the organization enough provisions to last through the rest of the year, but he had done so underbudget; using the leftover scratch to procure an extra tankard of raspberry ale, much to everyone's delight.

Lastly, Whiplash stepped forward to deliver his formal complaint regarding the state of their gym. According to him, the exercise equipment was in abysmal condition and the floor was long overdue for new padding. Ever the kind and understanding despot, Skeletor cheerfully agreed to see that this problem was rectified; at his earliest convenience.

And with all that out of the way, we come to the final, and arguably most pressing, piece of business.

"Alright people, settle down. We've got one more item on the agenda and then we can go." Tuvar said, ever the professional. "Regarding Prince Adam's uncertain demise…. _Hmm_… Let's see… Ah, Mer-Man, I believe you were put in charge of manning the phones."

"_Yes, Sir. That's correct_." The ichthyosapien said as he stepped forward; a slight gurgle in his voice. "_And we received one call from Webstor not two hours ago_."

"Well don't just stand there looking like a frozen fish stick. What did he say?" Skeletor asked, sounding unintentionally racist.

"_Well… it's sort of a good news, bad news kind of thing_." Mer-Man replied, apparently not bothered by the slur. "_The good news is that they've found Prince Adam's Sword of Power. The bad news is that they haven't found anything else. Not even a strand of his hair_."

"**_UHRAAAAAAAHH!_**" the Dark Lord groaned in equal parts rage and exasperation. "That stupid spoiled little jackass! I spent three weeks planning that deathtrap and he has the audacity to survive! I mean, the least he could've done was loose a freaking limb!"

"Now, now, Master. There's no need to get so worked up." Evil-Lyn said in the sweetest, least condescending voice she could manage. "Just because they haven't found the Prince's body yet doesn't mean they won't."

"_Ugh_, Whatever." Skeletor replied, sounding very much like a pouting child. "Staff meeting's over. Everyone out. I want to be alone."

Seeing that their Lord and Master was in one of his moods again, the other Outcasts quickly and quietly made their way to the nearest exit; with the exception of Stinkor, who merely turned off his hologram.

However, just as he was about to leave, Mer-Man, having just remembered something, turned back around.

"_Oh yeah, I almost forgot._" He said to his Dark Lord. "_Webstor did say one other thing_."

"_Ugh_… Fine. Spit it out." Skeletor replied, sounding both annoyed and disinterested.

"_He wanted to know if you were interested in buying a talking horse_."

End Notes:

Good God, this took longer to write than I thought it would.

I hoped you all liked it and I'll see you in the next one.

Peace.


	7. Chapter 6: Babes in the Woods

Sorry this took so long, but I had to change the tittle several times as I was writing it. Anyway, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Enjoy.

Chapter 6: Babes in the Woods

(_The Evergreen Forest: Midafternoon_)

The sun was hanging high overhead and the humidity was unseasonably low.

The Popinjays were singing a merry tune up in the treetops, accompanied by the rustling of leaves and the gentle gurgling of nearby river; creating a veritable symphony of nature.

And there was a subtle hint of clover on the wind, which had a strange calming effect on all who smelled it.

All in all, it was a truly wonderful day to be outside.

Which I suppose is why, for the first time in almost a week, Adora felt completely at peace with herself; in spite of her situation.

Of course, her new friend, Prince Adam, may also have had something to do with it. It had only been a few hours since their first meeting and already the two of them were getting along like houses; or whatever the old expression was. At any rate, it was so strange. Never before had she felt such an instant connection with somebody. It had taken her the better part of a day to really warm up to Bow and Glimmer. The only other person she'd ever befriended this quickly was Catra, but somehow this felt different.

Perhaps even… better.

But I'm rambling again.

Let's get back on topic.

It was sometime in the early afternoon, and our two young heroes were walking along the riverbank; keeping their eagle eyes peeled for Battle Cat and the missing Sword of Power.

Most people probably would've done a doubletake if someone they just met told them they needed help finding their magical sword and a giant green tiger, but being accustomed to a certain level of strangeness, Adora didn't even flinch. Besides, she was more than happy to help out her new friend. After all, he had promised to help her get back home. And for some reason, she just felt like she was exactly where she needed to be.

Anyway, they'd been walking downstream for a little over two hours and so far they'd yet to see even a stray tuft of green hair. So to help alleviate the boredom they decided to pass the time by getting to know each other. Adora was just wrapping up a heavily abridged recounting of her life up until that point and after finally finishing her little autobiography, Adam gave her his unbiased and carefully worded critique.

"Wow… you are _boring_."

"_Excuse me!_" Adora replied indignantly; her left eye twitching slightly.

"Let me rephrase that. Your story was fantastic. Raised by an evil empire only to betray them to become the savior of your planet. That's good stuff. But the way you told it was just so… _blah_. It was like you were reading a textbook."

"Well, I wasn't putting on a show. I was just telling you what really happened."

"Granted, but it wouldn't kill you to put a little more oomph into it. You know, a little razzle dazzle. A little zazz. Showmanship is the hallmark of a true hero. Plus it throws your enemies off balance."

"You sound like my horse."

"Mock me if you must, but if I had a copper piece for every time some would-be conqueror wet himself after I shouted 'By the Power of Grayskull', I'd be twice as rich as I already am."

"Is that right?" Adora asked as something finally clicked inside her head. "Say, what was that word you just said?"

"Which word?"

"Grayskull. What does it mean?"

"Oh, it's just the name of an old castle I occasionally use as a base. Not much there besides crystals and trolls. Why?"

"Uh… no reason." The young heroine lied rather obviously.

Very interesting. A castle called 'Grayskull' on a planet called 'Eternia'. Two words she knew to be associated with the First Ones. And she had been sent here by accidentally activating a First Ones Tower. Could this really be their homeworld?

A possibility, but a few things didn't quite add up. Firstly, Adam didn't seem to recognize the name Etheria when she mentioned it earlier. And second, according to her new friend, Eternia didn't have the technology to travel to other planets, let alone colonize them.

Well… Adam did say that Eternia regularly received interstellar visitors. Perhaps the First Ones visited this world thousands of years ago before terraforming Etheria and just co-opted some of their words.

Also a possibility, but that still left a lot of unanswered questions.

"You still in there?" the young Prince asked, shaking Adora out of her internal ruminations. "_Hello~ Eternia to Adora~_"

"Huh? Wh-What?"

"You kinda spaced out there for a second. Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I was just thinking… about stuff… and also things." The young warrior replied awkwardly before hastily attempting to change the subject. "So… does your dad really rule this whole planet?"

"Eh… sort of. It's actually a little more complicated than that." The young Prince admitted. "You see, Eternia is divided into two halves; the Light Hemisphere and the Dark Hemisphere. The Light Hemisphere, that's where we are, is divided into twenty-one separate kingdoms, which are all part of an alliance called the Concilio Tyrannis. My dad's the leader of the alliance, so that basically makes him the boss of everyone else in the world."

"Sounds kinda like the Princess Alliance back home." Adora commented. "But what about the other half?"

"The Dark Hemisphere is a chaotic, nightmarish hellscape full of killers, conquerors and short fused costumed nutjobs, all controlled financially by a shadowy organization called the Spider Guild; which is a little more complicated to explain."

"Yeah well, I don't really care about all the little details. I'm more of a… big picture kinda gal."

"Fair enough." Adam replied, before adopting a strange and more flustered expression. "So… Adora, you got anybody waiting for you back home?"

"Yeah, lots of people. Bow, Glimmer, Mermista…"

"No, no, I meant waiting for you in the romantic sense. You know, like a boyfriend, or a significant other, _or a boyfriend_."

"Oh, uh… I don't have anything like that." Adora admitted, soundly slightly embarrassed. "All my life I've been fighting for one cause or another, so I've never really had the time."

"_Really_? There's not _anybody_ you're interested in back home?" Adam asked with all the subtlety of a safecracking walrus. "Not even a little?"

"Well, I… might… kinda… sorta… have… a little crush on somebody back home." The young heroine admitted as her face lit up like a furnace. "_But that's __**way**__ too personal to talk about_!"

"Oh come on. You can trust me."

"I barely know you!"

"True, but we live in different dimensions. Once this adventure is over we'll probably never see each other again. So that makes me the perfect confidant." The young Prince reasoned, with just the slightest hint of slime in his voice. "And besides, I can tell you're just _dying_ tell someone."

"**_Uuuuuuuuuuugh_**… Fine! I'll tell you!" Adora finally broke. "But you can't tell anyone!"

"Who would I tell that would care?"

"_Sigh_… Okay…" she said before taking a deep breath; her cheeks burning even brighter than before. "Her name is Spinnerella and she's part of the Princess Alliance!"

That confession had been a lot louder than she'd meant it to be, but Adora had to admit that she did feel better; as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Unfortunately, this feeling was short-lived; for she soon realized that her new friend was no longer walking beside her.

"Adam?" she said confusedly. "Adam, where'd you go?"

Luckily, she didn't have far to look. As it turns out, the future King of Eternia was standing only a few steps behind her; looking rather pale.

"Uh… Adam? You okay?"

"Wh-What? _Huh_?" the young Prince said as he was suddenly shaken out of his trance. "Oh, Eh, Er…. Sorry. I was just kinda surprised to hear that you were… well… one of _those_."

"One of what?"

"You know… one of those girls who… like _girls_… in the way that they would normally _like_ boys."

"Is that a problem?"

"_What_? No! Problem? That's not a problem. What makes you think it's a problem? _No~_ I was just under the impression that you liked guys. In the romantic sense. But now you're telling me you don't. _Which is fine! _It's totally fine. Everything is… _sigh_… fine."

"Are you crying?"

"_NO_!" Adam said defensively as he discreetly wiped away the moisture from his eyes. "I just have… allergies. _Achoo. Achoo. _So um-er-uh… Tell me more about this Spinnerella girl. What's she like?"

Naturally, Adora didn't buy this act for a second, but since it was still just the two of them, she saw no harm in playing along.

"_sigh_. Well, it's sorta complicated. We don't really know each other that well, and she's already got a girlfriend. But _man_, ever since I first saw her in battle I can't stop thinking about her. With those powers of hers, she's like a Wind Goddess or something. And she's just so adorable and sweet."

"_Oh_~ I see how it is." Adam spoke up, his mood doing a sudden 180. "Got yourself a weakness for the plump ones, eh?"

"**_WHAT_**!" Adora replied incredulously. "How did-I mean, why would you even say that?"

"You said she was 'sweet' _and_ 'adorable'." The young Prince explained as though he were talking to a child. "Whenever a guy says a girl is both adorable _and_ sweet, nine times out of ten he's really saying, 'she's fat, but in a cute way'. It's standard Chubby Chaser Code."

"Why do you have to make it sound so perverted?"

"Love is always a little perverted. That's what makes it so much fun."

"I think I liked it better when you were crying."

"**_I WASN'T CRYING_**!"

Fortunately, before the situation could dissolve any further, their screaming match was preemptively quelled by the spontaneous appearance of a large puff of smoke.

_POOOOOF!_

And when the smoke cleared, much to Adora's surprise, she saw a small, vaguely elflike creature dressed all in red and gold floating in midair.

"Oh, Adam! Thank goodness it's you!" The little thing said excitedly in a high squeaky voice. "The last three people I ran into were very rude."

"Ah, Orko. Your timing is as impeccable as ever." Adam said to the creature, his mood taking a sudden turn for the better. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"I've been looking for you, silly." The strange creature, apparently named Orko, replied cheerily. "You've had us all worried sick. Teela and a bunch of the Royal Guards have been out looking for you since last night. I wanted to go with them, but… well, you know."

"Oh, I get it. Those jerks gave you a hard time again, so you decided to prove them wrong by finding me first." Adam reasoned, his voice laced with something resembling fraternal pride. "_Heh-Heh_. Nice work, little buddy. Point 'em out to me later and I'll have them all fired once I take the throne."

"No, no, you don't have to do anything like that. I'll just…"

"_Ahem!_" Adora cut in, largely to remind everyone that she was still there. "So… you gonna introduce me or what?"

"Oh yes, how rude of me." The young Prince replied, shifting gears yet again. "Orko, this charming but tragically unavailable vision of loveliness is Adora; the one who pulled me out of the river before I drowned. Adora, this funny looking but ever dependable little fellow is Orko; the guy I was telling you about earlier."

"Nice to meet you." She said politely.

"Howdy." The little imp replied.

"Good, now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business." Adam said confidently. "Orko, this fair damsel is in trouble, and you're just the man to help her out. Think you could whip us up an interdimensional portal?"

"Easy peasy! I've been opening up portals to other planes of existence since I was six." Orko replied jubilantly before turning towards the girl in question. "So, where do you wanna go?"

In light of this recent development, Adora decided to ignore the 'fair damsel' remark and focus on the task at hand.

"Well, Mr. Orko, I'm trying get back home to Etheria. It's in a dimension called Despondos. Have you heard of it?"

"_Hmmm_… Despondos… Despondos… Sounds familiar." The little imp mused thoughtfully for several minutes before suddenly snapping his fingers. "Now I remember! There's a whole chapter about it in the Tomb of Ortolan. It even had instructions on how to get there."

"Seriously? That's amazing!" the young heroine exclaimed. "Do you remember the spell?"

"Well, uh… no." Orko admitted embarrassedly. "I mean, it was over ten years ago. I'd have to read the book again."

"Okay, so where's the book?"

"Oh, it's in the restricted section of the library at the University of Magic… In Trolla… Uh-oh…"

"Uh-oh? What uh-oh?" Adora asked with both confusion and alarm. "What's Trolla?"

"It's…. It's my home…" Orko replied, his voice taking a sudden somber turn. "Or at least it used to be… before I was banished."

"Banished? Why?"

"It's… kind of a long story."

"And he doesn't have to tell it if he doesn't want to." Adam cut in, sounding, at least from Adora's perspective, uncharacteristically protective. "Orko, are you sure you can't remember any part of the spell? And do you really even need it? I've seen you open portals before without saying a word."

"That only works on places I've been to before." The little imp explained. "Without a clear picture in my head, I need dimensional coordinates."

"I see… Well, what about friends and family back on Trolla? Can't you just call one of them and ask them to get the spell for you?"

"That won't work either. Only members of the High Council are allowed in the restricted section. And after the whole… _incident_, the Wizard King forbade them from ever speaking to me again."

"Oh… well… that complicates things. Maybe we can…"

"Excuse me." Adora chimed in suddenly. "Look, I don't mean to be _that girl_, but can you guys help me get back home or not? Because it's kind of important."

"Keep your pants on, toots." Adam said, causing Adora's left eye to start twitching. "I said I'd get you home and I will. It's just gonna be a bit more of hassle, that's all. There's plenty more magic users we can ask for help, but before we do anything, we gotta find Battle Cat and my sword."

"Oh, you guys are looking for Battle Cat?" Orko inquired innocently.

"Yeah, have you seen him?" the young Prince asked hopefully.

"Eh… no, but I have a pretty good idea where he might be." The little imp replied, his demeanor suddenly growing nervous and twitchy. "But you're _really_ not gonna like it."

End Notes:

This chapter was a lot of fun to write.

I hope you all liked it.

Either way, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one.

Peace.


	8. Chapter 7: Old Soldiers

This chapter took longer than expected, but that's only because I wanted to make it perfect. With that said, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Yadda, Yadda, Enjoy.

Chapter 7: Old Soldiers

(_The tiny village of Hamnet: later that same day_)

From atop her iron throne, Catra, Supreme Leader of the Horde, looked down upon her vast empire and smiled.

Finally, after decades of hardship and bloodshed, the war was over. The Rebellion had been crushed. Queen Angela and her daughter had been slain and the princesses who hadn't surrendered willingly were now either toiling in the foundries of the Fright Zone or rotting away in their cells on Beast Island.

At long last, the Horde had brought peace and order to Etheria.

All that remained was to decide the fate of its greatest enemy.

She-Ra.

The rebels' champion lay at her feet; broken, bloodied, but very much alive. To her left was General Scorpia and to her right was Scientist Supreme Entrapta. If Catra gestured to the left then She-Ra would be savagely beaten to death right before her eyes, but if she gestured to the right then her brain would be reprogramed and she would go back to the way she was before finding that accursed sword.

But which did she want?

Vengeance or nostalgia?

Violence or friendship?

Hatred or love?

**_SPLASH! _**

Suddenly, the young feline was jolted back to consciousness by a spontaneous deluge of ice water; letting out a feral hiss as she jerked upright.

Ah yes, now she remembered. She was not Catra, Supreme Leader of the Horde, sitting upon an iron throne. She was Catra, penniless refugee on a strange world, sleeping on a park bench.

Reality is always such a disappointment.

Anyway, with her situation reaffirmed, the young Force Captain looked around to find out who had given her such a rude awakening. To her immediate right she saw two men in uniform; one of them was carrying a bucket full of water balloons. It didn't take a genius to figure this one out.

"Can I help you, officers?" Catra asked politely, despite how irritated she was.

"Benches are for sitting, not sleeping." Said the one with the bucket, in a whiney, effeminate voice. "Time for you to hit the bricks."

"Oh come on. I'm not hurting anybody. There's nobody else here." The young feline said as she attempted to reason with the two goons. "Besides, that lady cop said it was fine yesterday."

"I'm afraid the situation has changed." Said the other man, his voice more masculine and authoritative. "The mayor passed a new law this morning. All vagrants, vagabonds and unemployed undesirables are no longer allowed within city limits and are to be executed on sight."

"Unfortunately, the law doesn't go into effect until next week. So for now we're just giving out warnings." The whiney one chimed in smugly. "But just in case you were getting any funny ideas, we're permitted to shoot anybody who poses a potential threat. So keep your claws to yourself, Pussykins."

Catra wanted nothing more than to rip this smug bastard's throat out and leave his body for the neighborhood dogs. But one look at the blaster on his belt made her think twice. It looked somewhat similar to the standard issue ones given out to Horde Cadets, but based on what she'd seen since wandering into this town, these officers had much better aim. So instead of giving in to her baser instincts, the young feline just sighed and said,

"Fine."

And without another word, she just stood up and walked away.

But as she did, she could hear those two jerks gloating in the background.

"And thus, another malfeasant slinks away with her tail between her legs." Said the deep voiced one with more than a hint of pride. "Come on, I think I saw a whole family huddled up behind the butcher shop."

"Man, can you believe we get paid to do this?" asked the whiney one giddily.

"I know, what a time to be alive."

'Meatheads.' Catra thought bitterly as she made her way to the park's main gate. 'Can't believe I let them talk to me like that. Why didn't I just kill them?'

But in reality, she already knew the reason why. This world, this 'Eternia', had pounded the fight out of her.

The past week had been one humiliation after another. After the incident at the Amethyst Tower, Catra had found herself lost and delirious in a strange and unfamiliar forest. She'd wandered around in a hallucinogenic daze for hours, until she finally came to in farmer's pigpen; lying face down in the slop trough no less. Then, after nearly getting impaled by the angry farmer, she stumbled into the sleepy little town of Hamnet, where she was immediately mistaken for a vagrant and was shunned accordingly; partly due to her lack of money, but mostly due to her reeking of mud and pig excrement. Since then, she'd been cursed at, spat on, shot at, and kicked in the stomach at least a dozen times; sometimes by the citizens, but usually by the police.

And worst of all, there was nothing she could do about it. Her rank and title as Force Captain meant nothing out here. The Horde, as far as she could tell, did not exist on this world, and the badge on her chest was as worthless as garbage.

But then why did she still insist on wearing it?

Nostalgia?

Not likely. She had very few pleasant memories of the Fright Zone that didn't involve her archnemesis.

Loyalty?

Yeah right. There's no way Hordak was going to send someone to come after her; even if he could get the Tower working again. So why should she be loyal to someone who wasn't loyal to her?

Pride?

Yes, that sounded more like her. She worked long and hard to earn her position. Granted, a good chunk of her success was owed to betrayal and dumb luck, but still, she'd earned her badge. And after all this time, she'd just feel naked without it.

No, for better or worse, the Horde was a huge part of her identity and she would not forsake it.

Even if they had already forsaken her.

XXX

(_Elsewhere in this sleepy town_)

It was late in the afternoon when a gentle touch awoke him from his sound sleep.

A noisy lorikeet had kept him up most of the night, so he wasn't particularly pleased to be roused from his afternoon nap. However, once he saw the friendly and familiar face of the perpetrator, he elected to hold his tongue.

"Oh, hello there, Maggie." He said pleasantly, before quickly remembering proper protocol. "I mean, good afternoon, Officer Burchill."

"It's alright, Pops. There's no need to stand on ceremony." Replied the officer, a stout, middle-aged woman with dirty blonde hair. "Especially not today."

Something in the way she said that made 'Pops' feel uneasy.

"Then I take it this isn't just a social call."

"I'm afraid not." Maggie replied, sounding both nervous and a little guilty. "The Mayor passed a new law this morning. He calls it the 'Beautification Act', but all it does is give his bullies the right to shoot homeless people."

"Is that even legal?"

"Technically no, but more technically yes." She answered cryptically. "Look, that might be King Randor's flag flying over townhall, but we both know who really runs this place."

"The Spiders." 'Pops' said spitefully.

"That'd be them. They love only money and they hate anyone who doesn't have it. As far as they're concerned, people like you are just wastes of space, so they're letting the Mayor get rid of you for 'em."

"I see… So is this an execution?"

"No, at least not yet." Maggie explained. "The law doesn't come into effect until next week, so for now we're only allowed to give out warnings, but that won't stop some of my coworkers from having their 'fun'. So before that happens, I just wanted to make sure you were on your way out."

"I see, how very considerate of you." 'Pops' replied sarcastically.

"Hey, don't give me that. You think I like living in this town? Working for those thugs and fat cats? I hate it! But I don't have any choice! Not unless I wanna end up like you!"

By all rights, he should have taken offense at that remark, but the look on her face told him she regretted it.

"Look, I'm sorry, I… I didn't come here to argue. I just… I wanted to give you something before you left." The officer admitted before discreetly handing him a small satchel. "Here."

"Is this…"

"That's right. G-O-L-D. Enough to get you some food and a ticket out of town. Just be careful who sees you with that, okay."

"Alright, and thank you."

"Thank me by getting out of town in one piece." Maggie replied bluntly, before softening up just a bit. "And take care of yourself. Okay, Pops?"

"Oh, don't you worry about me." He replied as he got up and made his way to the end of the alley. "Worry about everyone else."

XXX

(_The local shuttle station: a little later on_)

Tired, humiliated and still smelling of pig waste, Catra sat down on the bench outside the shuttle station and sulked.

How low she had sunk. To be chased out of this dinky little nowhere town. To be forced to flee without even putting up a fight. To slink away with her tail between her legs.

And why?

Because she was dirty.

Because she smelled bad.

Because she had no money.

**_Fie! _**

Fie on this town and everyone in it!

She didn't need them or anyone else.

She was doing just fine on her own.

Even if she didn't know where she was going.

"Is this seat taken?" asked a soft and snakelike voice, snapping her back to reality.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a mysterious figure appeared before her. He was tall, whoever he was, nearly twice her own height, and impossibly thin. Aside from that, Catra couldn't see much else; the stranger's entire body was draped in a loose, brown burlap like material with a hood obscuring his face. But underneath that hood, she could just barely make out a pair of yellow eyes.

"I said, is this seat taken?" he repeated, a little louder this time.

"What? Oh, uh… no. Help yourself."

"Much appreciated." He replied before taking a seat beside her. "Rough day, kiddo?"

"What gave it away? The way I look or the way I smell?"

"A bit of both. But I've smelled much worse." The stranger answered jokingly. "I don't remember seeing you around here before. Are you new in town?"

"Nothing gets past you, eh slim?"

"Now, now, there's no need for rudeness." The thin man replied. "I was only making conversation."

"_sigh_. Sorry. I've just kinda had a bad… week."

"Had a run-in with the local authorities, eh?"

"At least a dozen times since I got here, and now that they've had their fun with me, they're kicking me out. Just throwing me away like I was garbage. Story of my life, I guess."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm in the same boat." The stranger said, apparently trying to forge some kind of connection. "It wasn't always this way, you know. When I first wandered into this town ten years ago it was a paradise. Nice friendly people. Lots of shady alleys to sleep in. There was even a truck that came around three times a week to delivery hot meals to the homeless."

"So what happened?"

"Oh, about two years ago they elected a new mayor with a certain disdain for the financially challenged. And the people, mindless sheep that they are, or at least the vast majority, decided to get into his good graces by adopting his anti-poor philosophy. Of course, things didn't _really_ start to go bad until the Spiders showed up."

"The Spiders?"

"You know, the Spider Guild. Nothing but lowlife crooks, every one of them. They already control every industry on the Dark Hemisphere. Do they really need to spin their webs on our side too?"

"So this town is controlled by criminals? That explains a lot."

"Yes, but good luck proving it. So far, all they've done is set up a private security company and a casino, and both those things are perfectly legal according to King Randor. And since they've brought in so much new money to the town, the Mayor lets them do whatever they want; including tell him what to do."

Upon hearing this, Catra's blood began to boil. Such blatant corruption. Such an overwhelming lack of discipline and common decency. Let the Rebels say what they want about the Horde, but this kind of thing would never happen in a township under their control. No competent Force Captain would ever allow it.

"Oh~ I know that look." The stranger said with an odd timber of amusement in his voice.

"What look?"

"Oh, don't play coy with me, young one. I know what you were thinking."

"Oh yeah, then what was I thinking?"

"You were thinking how disgusted you were by all the wanton corruption, and how much better things would be if only a true leader would step in and rid us of these vermin."

"Lucky guess."

"You're a soldier aren't you, dearie?"

Catra's eyes widened in surprise.

"How did…"

"Oh, I just have a sixth sense about these things." The old man explained. "I was a soldier myself once. A long, long time ago. A captain in the greatest army this world has ever seen. I had riches, fame and power. I envied no man."

"Then how did you end up down here in the gutter?"

"I chose loyalty to my General over loyalty to my Emperor, and for that I was punished. Abandoned and left to rot in this squalor."

"Yeah, well, life's unfair all over." Catra replied with bitter sarcasm. "So, what are you gonna do now?"

"I've recently come into some money. Not much, but enough to purchase a ticket out of Hamnet." The old soldier explained. "I think I shall go to Eternos. I hear there are shelters there that feed and clothe the likes of us."

"Sounds nice." The young feline said halfheartedly. "I don't have any money, so I'll probably just stowaway on the next one that comes around. I don't really have a destination in mind."

"Well, why don't you come with me?" the stranger offered. "I have more than enough money to secure another ticket. And I wouldn't mind the company."

"_sigh_. Thanks, but… I'd prefer to be alone." The former Force Captain admitted sullenly as she removed the badge from her chest and held it up so she could look at it. "I'm not much of a team player anymore."

Catra didn't notice this at the time, but her cloaked companion's eyes went wide with astonishment as they fell upon the emblem in question.

"Is that…"

**_SPLASH! _**

In the flash of an instant, a familiar icy deluge propelled Catra back to reality.

With a hiss and a sputter, she shook off the excess water and started looking for the one responsible. Fortunately, she didn't have to look too far. For there, standing less than ten feet away was one of the policemen who had been harassing her earlier; the smaller effeminate one to be exact. Only now he was out of uniform, but still carrying around that damned bucket.

"I wasn't sleeping!" Catra snapped at the apparently off duty officer.

"I know, that was for the smell." The effeminate officer replied snidely. "And my shift may have ended, but I'm still armed, and I have the right to defend myself. So I'd watch my tone if I were you, vagrant."

"My name isn't vagrant." The young feline said defiantly as she suddenly rose to her feet. "And if I were you, I'd be a spineless, sniveling worm who takes orders from criminals."

"Now that's just slander." The whiney cop replied as he started to reach for his blaster. "The Spiders are legitimate businessmen, and unlike you they pay taxes. They just follow a different philosophy than those bleeding-heart tree huggers in the capitol. But ask yourself, which is the more logical path? To waste hundreds of thousands of dollars of the taxpayers' money on people who don't even pay taxes, or to use that same money on something that brings more money to the community?"

"You are so full of sh…"

"Watch your mouth, bitch!" the off duty cop said as he pointed his blaster straight at her head. "I'm just following the laws of nature. The strong live and the weak die. It's just that us upright mammals have a different definition of strength."

"You're nothing but a little man drunk on what little power you have." Catra said boldly as she bared her claws and walked right up to the gun toting cretin. "But if you wanna see what real strength is, why don't you throw that popgun away and fight me like a man."

"_Hmm_… No thanks." he replied nonchalantly as he aimed for Catra's forehead. "I prefer to win."

In that moment, time seemed to stand still. The young feline had less than a fraction of a second to react and even she wasn't sure what she was going to do. Her mind and body were running on autopilot. Would she pounce? Would she duck? Or would she just stand there and let the plasma turn her brain into goo?

The policeman seemed to think the latter, for as he prepared to pull the trigger he smirked and said,

"Lights out, you filthy cu**_OOOOMMMMF!_**"

It all happened so fast, Catra barely had time to process it.

One minute the cop was smirking, and the next there was a hand smothering his face.

A shriveled, green, webbed hand.

After another second or two, the former Force Captain's senses finally caught up with her and she noticed who the hand belonged to.

It was the old man from the bench, and he was squeezing the policeman's face like foam stress ball.

"What a rude and badly dressed little man you are." The tall man said as he tightened his grip and lifted the whiney cop high into the air. "Clearly your parents did a dreadful job raising you. I'll bet you've never been disciplined once in your entire life."

"**_OOOOOOMFFF! UGH! OOOOOMMPHPPH!_**" the policeman screamed as he attempting in vain to pry the thin man's hand off his face.

"Well, let's see if we can fix that."

Suddenly, there was a horrible slurping sound; like someone was trying to suck the juice from an orange using a bicycle pump.

As the seconds ticked on, the sound grew louder and louder, and something strange started to occur. The policeman's struggles grew weaker and his body began to shrivel up like a raisin. While on the opposite end, the stranger's body started to grow and expand. Skin and bones became muscle and sinew. And his pale, wrinkled skin grew darker and more youthful.

Within moments, the cop's struggles ceased; his body seemingly drained of all fluids. So without another word, the now hulking stranger dropped the mummified husk and let it hit the ground with an almost inaudible _thud_.

Her eyes still wide with shock, Catra regained enough of her composure to examine her savior properly. With his newfound bulk, the stranger's body was much more visible beneath his cloak, and _oh_ what a sight he was. Honestly, the young feline wasn't sure what to make of him. A giant fanged toad? Some kind of humanoid eel? Perhaps a little of both?

"Ah~ That's better." He said, his voice sounding much deeper than before. "I haven't had a meal like that in ages."

The stranger looked down at the young feline and gave her what amounted to a grotesque looking smile.

"Apologies, my dear, for stepping in on your battle." He said politely as he adjusted his collar to reveal a familiar looking pendant; a small silver shield imprinted with a pair of crimson bat wings. "But I couldn't, in good conscience, allow a fellow Force Captain to die in such an undignified manner."

Needless to say, Catra was completely floored by this sudden turn of events. But before she could even try to process it, a siren went off in the distance.

"Ah, that would be the authorities, I suspect." The stranger remarked. "And things being the way they are, I don't think they'll be willing to hear our side. I suggest we make a hasty retreat. Come along, dear."

"Wait!" Catra said, still very much in shock. "Who… Who are you?"

"For the past ten years, the people of this town have called me 'Pops'." He said, flashing her another of his decidedly unpleasant smiles. "But you, my pet, may call me Leech."

End Notes:

Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you in the next time.

Peace.


	9. Chapter 8: Career Criminals

**Important message at the bottom. Please read before you leave.** Anyway, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Blah. Blah. Blah. Enjoy.

Chapter 8: Career Criminals

(_The Evergreen Forest: Later that night_)

The Spider Guild.

A shadowy crime syndicate of tremendous scale with dealings in just about every illegal act imaginable.

Ever wonder where the villains of Eternia get the materials to build their doomsday weapons, or where they buy their groceries?

That's right, they go to the Spider Guild.

Whether it's bank loans, prostitutes, medical care or classified intel, the Spider Guild is one stop shopping for all your nefarious needs.

The Spider Guild.

Making evil a little bit easier for over 20 years.

Now with locations on the Light Hemisphere.

Near the southern tip of the Evergreen Forest, there sits a secluded glen with a river running through the middle. Officially this site has no name, but in recent months the residents have started calling it Chulatown.

Although, calling this place a 'town' might be a bit of an exaggeration. Really it was more like a military base. Complete with guard towers and a massive, presumably electrified fence around the perimeter. Only one entrance; a large gate guarded by two burly looking Arachna. And armed with Neural Disruptors no less.

Not exactly a cakewalk, but it could be worse… somehow… probably.

Anyway, on a hill about a half a mile away, our three heroes, Adora, Adam and Orko, watched the scene from the cover of some native foliage and began concocting their strategy.

"Well… I'm stumped." Adora said flatly. "Electric fence. Motion sensors. Sniper rifles. This place is like a mini Fright Zone."

"I know, even Snake Mountain doesn't have this much security." Adam commented before turning to his impish companion. "Orko, are you sure Battle Cat's in there?"

"Not like… 100% sure." The Trollan Mage admitted awkwardly. "But while I was looking for you, I overheard some of the guards talking about some rare animal they just captured. So it seemed like the best place to start."

"Yeah… I guess that makes sense." The young Prince replied uneasily. "But still, I don't like this. There are way too many Spiders down there."

"So, on a scale of 1 to 10, just how dangerous are these Spider guys?" Adora asked, attempting to take command of the situation.

"Individually, about 2 or 3, but in a swarm this size, I'd say 9, at least." Adam answered, still sounding anxious. "But none of this makes any sense. How could they have a base this close to the capitol? The Royal Guards do flybys of this area three times a months. How can my Father not know about this?"

"I think I know." Orko chimed in unexpectedly. "You see that tower?"

Adora followed where the Trollan was pointing and, sure enough, there was a tower in the middle of the base. A tall, thin, crystalline structure with a large gemstone nestled on the top; a black opal, unless she was mistaken. To her eyes, the whole thing looked suspiciously like First Ones Tech.

"We have devices like that back on Trolla." The Mage continued. "They're for projecting three-dimensional illusions. Only this one's a whole lot bigger."

"So from the air, this probably all looks like an open field." Adam reasoned, before his tone quickly turned caustic. "But that still wouldn't fool a sensor scan or anyone down here on the ground. Someone in the Royal Guard has to know about this! There's no other explanation!"

"We can worry about that later." Adora spoke up, attempting to be the voice of reason. "Right now we need to think of a way to get in there without getting our heads blown off."

"_sigh_… You're right. I just… I need a second to think." The young Prince replied as he forced himself to calm down. "We need to find… some kind of hole in their defenses."

Adam stopped midsentence as he caught sight of something on the ground. He reached down and lifted up a fistful of loose gravel.

For reasons that eluded Adora, he seemed quite pleased with himself.

"Orko, magic us up some disguises." He said in a commanding yet excited tone. "I've got an idea."

XXX

(_Twenty minutes later_)

"This is never going to work." Adora said flatly as the two of them approached the main gate.

"Of course it'll work. You worry too much." Adam replied, sounding much more confident. "Just do like I told you and let me do all the talking."

The young heroine rolled her eyes, but chose not to argue any further. After all, it's not like she had any better ideas.

But still, this was so humiliating.

Granted, the plan made sense, in theory. The Spiders are businessmen. They love money. So put on some disguises, enchant some rocks to look like gold and bluff your way in. No fighting. No bloodshed. And she understood why Orko had to stay behind in the forest; being the only Trollan on Eternia, he was too easy to recognize.

But what she didn't understand was why her disguise had to be so… _pink_.

Adam walked several steps ahead of her, dressed in what he claimed were the trappings of a master sorcerer. A red and gold robe concealed most of his body, while a matching cap hid most of his face. He even had a long white beard to complete ensemble. All in all, he did look quite distinguished.

By way of contrast, Adora looked and felt utterly ridiculous. She looked like a milkmaid. A bright _pink_ milkmaid.

'Adam better be right about this, or I'm gonna…'

But before she could finish that thought, they reached the front gate.

Now it was time for Adam to do his stuff.

"Halt! Who goes there?" asked one of the guard spiders, aiming his weapon directly at the young Prince's head. "State your name and business."

"Hello, you fellows." The young Prince replied in the best old man impression he could muster. "I am the Dark Wizard Blazvitan, and this is my servant, Mimi. So sorry to just drop in unannounced, but I heard through the grapevine that you've got some rare animals for sale and I was hoping to have a look at them to see if I wanted to add any of them to my menagerie. May I please speak with your commander?"

The two Arachna looked at each other, their expressions totally unreadable. Adora wondered briefly if the Spiders could speak to each other telepathically, or if they were just really good at nonverbal communication. In either case, her thoughts were quickly derailed when one of them spoke up again.

"We're going to need to see some ID." Said the same one who spoke before.

"Oh, yes, of course. How foolish of me. I have it right here." Adam said, still in character, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny satchel. He then held out his opposite hand and gently poured the contents into his open palm. "Will this be sufficient?"

The guards' eyes, all twelve of them, went wide with amazement as they looked at the 'gold' in the 'wizard's' hand. For a moment, it appeared as though they were in a trance. But a second later they both shook it off and smiled.

"Yeah, I think that'll do just fine." Said the same guard, whom seemed to do all the talking. "Thrax, you wait here. I'll go get the Commander."

The other Spider, apparently named Thrax, nodded and allowed his friend to go inside.

Meanwhile, Adora was completely floored.

This ridiculous plan was actually working.

Maybe, just this once, everything would go smoothly and things wouldn't dissolve into violence.

XXX

(_Meanwhile, inside the compound_)

The electrified chain-link fence which surrounded Chulatown served as an excellent deterrent for intruders, but it did not provide much in the way of privacy. So keeping that in mind, the guard made sure he was well out of sight and earshot before activating his communicator.

"This had better be important, Spinator." Said the voice on the other end, sounding deeply, _deeply_ annoyed. "Because I specifically told you _not_ to bother me."

"Apologies, Councilman Chula. But we have a situation at the main gate." The guard, apparently named Spinator, replied respectfully. "Prince Adam and some ugly peasant girl just showed up out of nowhere pretending to be customers. How do you want us to proceed?"

"_Hmm_… Now that _is_ an interesting development." The councilman said amusedly. "Tell Thrax to let them in and run Maneuver 17-B-66. Once that's done I'll meet you both in the stockade. But don't do anything else until I get there. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. Now get going. And whatever you do, don't damage the girl. She could be very… valuable."

(_Twenty-two minutes later_)

With an _UMPH_ and an _OOOMF_, Adam and Adora were tossed unceremoniously into one of the cells in the Chulatown Stockade. After inviting them in and exposing their ruse, the Spiders made quick work of our young heroes by way of their paralyzing venom, which was nonlethal to anything larger than a rabbit, and their special webbing, which was only slightly weaker than steel. To put it simply, they weren't going anywhere in a hurry.

"_Ugh_…" Adora groaned as she forced herself into a seated position. "Well, _that_ worked!"

"I don't understand it." Adam said, sounding genuinely confused and distraught. "My plan was perfect. What went wrong?"

"Perhaps I can shed some light on that." Said an unfamiliar, yet cultured voice from somewhere close by.

Moments later, a pair of Arachna stepped in front of their cell door. The first was a short, stocky looking fellow wearing ornate silk robes; unlike the two generic guards they'd met outside, this one was covered from head to toe in thick, reddish brown fur. The other was taller and leaner, with dark blue skin and a jet black business suit; although he was clearly male, his posture and manner of walking was, at least from Adora's perspective, somewhat effeminate.

"Please, allow me to introduce myself." The short, hairy Spider said with mock politeness. "I am Councilman Taran Chula. Commander of this base and all surrounding territories."

"A member of the Guild's High Council?" the young Prince asked in a way that made it sound more like a statement. "I suppose I should be honored."

"Watch your tone, brat." The thin one said in a voice that matched his walk. "You stand before one of the future Masters of Eternia."

"Now, now, calm yourself, Webstor. He's just venting his frustration." The Councilman said good-naturedly before turning his attention back on Adam. "Please forgive my secretary, _Your Highness_. He's not as good with children as I am, and then tend to make him antsy."

"We're not children!" Adora spat angrily.

"Objectively, you are." Chula replied mockingly. "And as for your previous question, your plan failed because of three key factors. 1) All Guild Foot Soldiers are required to go through basic levels of psychic training, which allows them to see through crude illusions. Really, it was all my guards could do to not burst out laughing when you offered them a bag of rocks."

Ah, so she'd been right. The Spiders can communicate telepathically. Or at least the grunts can.

"2) 'Blazvitan' is a Qadian word that means 'Pig-Face'."

"_What_? I thought it meant handsome!" Adam exclaimed, before his expression turned to one of sudden epiphany. "Oh… so that's why King Carnivus' daughter keeps laughing at me."

"Which leads us to 3) Your acting is _terrible_." Chula finished his explanation, putting extra emphasis on that last word to jam the knife in deeper. "In short, this was, in my professional opinion, the sorriest, most half-assed exhibition I've ever seen."

"Okay, so I blew it. You don't have to be mean about it."

"I _very_ much feel that I do." The Councilman replied cruelly. "I mean seriously, what were you thinking? What was going through your head when you concocted this ridiculous stunt? Did you think this was a game? Or some idiotic cartoon?"

"I… I don't know…" Adam answered, his voice wavering with uncertainty. "I just wanted to prove to everyone that I was as good as my Father."

"Well you're not, and you never will be." Chula said bluntly. "But don't feel too bad about it. You and your little friend have performed a great service for the Guild today. With the money we'll make from you two, our long-term goals for this territory will pushed ahead by at least three months."

"Money? What money? What are you talking about?" Adora asked confusedly.

"Oh, did you not know? Skeletor is offering a reward. 10,000 gold pieces for the Prince's head on a plate. Plus the 20,000 we'll get from selling this." The Councilman explained as he pulled out Adora's legendary Sword of Protection. "Such a miraculous device, the way it can change its form so seamlessly. Now that I think about it, 20,000 might be too low."

"You get your filthy hands off that!" the young heroine roared with righteous indignation. "That's the Sword of She-Ra! You have no right to hold it!"

"_Tsk_. A typical _warrior's_ response." Chula replied derisively. "I'll never understand you lot. Always throwing your lives away over such trivial things like honor or revenge. We Spiders may not be as strong as you talking monkeys, but we're much smarter. We never risk our lives over anything we can't hold in our hands."

"You're scum!"

"No, I'm a realist. And the reality is that gold and silver are the only things in this world of any value." The fat Spider said smugly. "And speaking of which, you're sure to bring in a hefty sum on the open market. Once you're carved up into steaks that is. I hear virgins are quite the delicacy in Ouroboros."

Chula paused to let out a deep, throaty chuckle, which made Adora grind her teeth in fury.

"Okay, that's enough gloating for now. You two! Get over here!" the Councilman called to the two guards who had apprehended them. "I have paperwork to finish and calls I have to make. Our webs should be enough to hold these two for now, but keep an eye on them anyway. And if they try anything funny, don't hesitate to kill them. Got it?"

"Yes, Sir!" the two goons saluted.

"Good. Now, let's get back to business. Come, Webstor."

"Yes, my lord."

And with that, the two officials departed. However, Webstor hung back for a moment to give Adora a disparaging glance.

"Oh, by the way, dearie. I just **_love_** your disguise." He said with a mocking smirk. "It's so… **_pink_**."

Then he laughed and slowly walked away.

By this point, Adora's blood began to boil. These Spiders, these criminal lowlifes, had no class. No respect. They made her so mad, it was all she could do not scream her lungs out. And she probably would have too, had another sound not caught her attention.

Over on the other side of the cell, Adam had his back to her. But even though she couldn't see his face, she could tell he was crying. Clearly, Chula's words had cut deep.

So, with great difficulty, she nudged herself closer and tried to comfort him.

"Hey, Adam." She whispered, trying not to alert the guards. "Don't listen to that jerk. He doesn't know what he's talking about. It was a good plan. It just… hit a little snag. That's all. It _was_ a good plan."

"What do you mean 'was'?" Adam responded in a voice that did not sound at all despondent.

The young Prince turned his head and, to her great surprise, revealed that he was grinning from ear to ear.

He wasn't crying.

He was laughing.

Naturally, Adora had many, _many _questions, but before she could even try to ask, Adam held a single finger up to his mouth, which was especially surprising since he was supposed to be tied up in spider webs, indicating that he wanted her to stay quiet.

"_Shhhh_~" he said, his wide, foxlike grin never once leaving his face. "This next part gets pretty crazy."

End Notes:

Greetings, my faithful followers. I truly hate to impose upon you, but I find myself in the grip of an artistic crisis.

As many of you know, I promised to get back to my Star vs series once I reach a reach a satisfying stopping place with this story. And while that point is at least another eight or nine chapters away, I feel I must bring up this issue now. And that issue is… whether or not I want to do it.

Don't get me wrong, I have not abandoned my Star series and I intend to complete it at some point. In fact, I just came up for a brand new concept for the next installment that will REALLY make the series pop. But the thing is… my muse is pulling me in another direction.

You see, recently I've fallen in love with the work of Vivienne Meldrano aka Viziepop, particularly her new series, Hazbin Hotel; the pilot of which is available on YouTube. Her work has inspired me to write a brand new story. A crossover between Adventure Time and Hazbin Hotel; loosely based on the tragedy of Orpheus and Euridice.

I call it "Orpheus: The Epic of Marceline". After getting dumped by Princess Bubblegum, again, Marceline turns to the all-powerful Prismo to help her find her perfect match. And so she sets off on a journey across time, space and multiple realities to find, meet and win the heart of Charlie, the Princess of Hell. But to even get a chance, first she'll have to get through every other demon in the underworld; including Charlie's girlfriend, Charlie's business partner and, worst of all, Charlie's parents. Spoiler Alert, things are gonna get messy.

Anyway, as excited as I am about this new project, I'm not sure if I wanna go through with it. I mean, just because I think something's a good idea doesn't mean other people will like. So, I;m coming to you, my loyal readers. Should I just jump into Part 6 of my Star series as planned? Or should I take a chance on something new and different? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Peace.


	10. Chapter 9: Beware of Greeks

he-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Enjoy.

Chapter 9: Beware of Greeks

(_At the same time in an unknown location_)

In a dark room somewhere relatively close to Chulatown, two figures stood before a mysterious glowing orb.

One with red eyes.

One with blue.

Both vaguely humanoid.

The orb, which appeared to be some sort of mystic view screen, displayed a pair of youths, a boy and a girl, tying up a pair of unconscious Arachna.

"The Prince is most resourceful. Wouldn't you agree, Brother?" said the blue-eyed figure in a deep yet soothing voice, with just a subtle trace of what an Earthling would call a 'southern drawl'.

"Yes… very resourceful." The red-eyed figure admitted begrudgingly in a voice that sounded strangely congested. "But I have my doubts about the Princess. She is too emotional. Too much like the _Whore_. I don't trust her."

"Do you ever want to see our sister again?" Blue eyes asked sternly.

"You know I do." Red eyes replied bitterly.

"Then suck it up. We need both of them if we're going to get her back. Along with everything else we've lost."

"I still don't like it."

Just then, a third figure entered the room. Only this one walked on all fours like an animal, and had piercing yellow eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.

Yellow eyes slowly walked up to Blue eyes and started rubbing up against his leg.

"Ah, there you are, young one." Blue eyes said affectionately as he started scratching Yellow eyes behind the ears. "Your wounds have healed quite nicely. That's good. Because your master and his new companion are going to need your help very soon."

Blue eyes looked back into the orb and saw that the two youths were now out of the stockade and sneaking around the base.

"And very soon, we will all need the two of them."

XXX

(_Chulatown, nine and a half minutes later_)

Practically since the day he was born, Prince Adam had been told the many tales of his Father's exploits.

Randor, the Hero of the Great Unrest.

Randor, who conquered the 21 Kingdoms and created the Council of Tyrants.

Randor, whose military genius led his army to victory at the Battle of Infinity Pass.

It was a lot to live up to, and many people believed the young Prince would never measure up to his illustrious Father.

But that suited Adam just fine. He understood full well that he was no great military strategist and that without his Sword his physical strength was only slightly above average. But this didn't bother him either.

For Adam was not only his Father's son, he was his Mother's as well, and her bloodline was even stronger.

Odysseus.

Theseus.

Perseus.

Jason.

The same blood that flowed through their veins flowed through his own. The blood of the greatest civilization to ever grace the universe. A civilization that understood the importance of being clever.

It was around 8:30 in the evening when Adam and Adora made their daring escape from the stockade and so far none of the Spiders had noticed. Which was very fortunate, since it made sneaking around in the shadows super easy.

"Hey, Adam?" Adora whispered as the two of them hid behind a stack of wine barrels.

"What?" replied Adam.

"Those guards are just unconscious right? I mean, we didn't _kill_ them, did we?"

"Did you see any blood coming out of their ear holes?"

"Uh… no, I don't think so."

"Then they're probably still alive."

"_Probably_?"

"Will you keep your voice down. We have to stay out of sight until Orko does his part of the plan."

"Yeah, about that, what exactly _is_ your plan?"

"_Ugh_. I hate working with amateurs." The young Prince groaned as he rolled his eyes in frustration. "Look, it's not complicated. Right now, the Spiders think we're captured and incompetent, so they won't expect us to be out and about. But as soon as Chula finishes his paperwork, he's gonna come back to gloat some more. That's why I had Orko stay behind. As we speak, he is somewhere in this base, probably invisible, putting together some kind of big distraction that'll give us a chance to find your sword and hopefully Battle Cat. With me so far?"

"I… think so." Adora replied, half lying. "So what's the distraction?"

"I don't know. He'll probably just improvise something. Like an explosion or a loud noise or…"

"_DID SOMEBODY SAY SWIFT WIND!_" shouted a booming voice from somewhere close by.

Followed swiftly by a horse's whinny and a loud _THWAK_. In the distance, a lone Arachna was seen flying over one of the buildings, flailing and screaming, before landing roughly on the other side.

"Or… something like that."

XXX

(_Two minutes later_)

At Adora's insistence, the duo ran towards the strange commotion; keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Within minutes they were on the scene; and oh what a scene it was. Nearly two dozen Spiders, all armed with ropes and spears, standing in a large circle; looking tense and terrified. And in the center was a mighty beast straight from the tales of Queen Marlena. An ivory Pegasus with a long flowing mane and a golden horn which he used to stab at his would be attackers.

"Ah-ha! Take that! And this! And one these! And two of those!" the white horse declared boldly as he bucked and jabbed at the encroaching Arachna. "Come on! Take your best shot, you eight legged freaks! But just know that none can withstand the icy sting of the Horn of Swift Wind~"

"Damn it!" cursed one of the Spiders. "How did this thing get loose?"

"I don't know! The cage was locked a minute ago!" cried a second one.

"Somebody put a muzzle on it!" yelled a third.

"Not it!"

"Not it!"

"Not it!" replied three more almost simultaneously.

While back in the shadows, our young heroes looked on in amazement.

"Uh… I'm not the only one seeing this, right?" Adam asked bewilderedly. "I mean, that horse really is talking, isn't it?"

"That's not just any horse." Adora replied excitedly. "That's Swift Wind!"

"Who?"

"Swift Wind. You know. My noble steed. My sacred animal companion. I told you all about him back in the forest."

"Oh, you mean your story? Yeah… I kinda drifted in and out."

"You _what_?"

"Hey, it's not my fault you're boring."

"_Ugh_. Whatever. But what the heck 's he doing here?"

"He was locked up in a cage." Said a familiar voice from out of nowhere, causing them both to jump. Seconds later, everyone's favorite Trollan mage appeared out of thin air; floating just a few feet behind them.

"Ah, Orko. Punctual as ever, I see." Adam said jovially as he attempted to stop his heart from racing. "So I take it you're responsible for this fun little diversion?"

"Yup." Orko answered cheerily. "Sorry, I couldn't find Battle Cat. I looked everywhere, but all I found was that talking horse. I guess he was the rare animal everyone was talking about. Anyway, I told him I'd let him out of his cage if he promised to make a big, loud distraction so I could help you guys escape."

"Nice work, Orko." The young Prince said approvingly.

"Aww shucks." The Trollan said bashfully, before shifting gears once again. "Oh, that reminds me. I couldn't find Battle Cat, but I found something else when I was going through the base commander's office."

Like a proper stage magician, Orko reached into one of his sleeves and pulled out an item that by all rights should not have fit. It was a familiar looking sword with a silver hilt and crystalline blade that shone like a white diamond.

"My sword!" Adam exclaimed as he took the weapon in hand and held it up like a trophy. "Orko, you're beautiful!"

Just then, Swift Wind let out a deafening whinny and reared upward. One of the Spiders had thrown a rope around his neck and was apparently trying to force him to the ground.

"Swift Wind!" Adora cried at the sight of her faithful steed in peril.

But Adam, ever the dashing, romantic, attention seeking man of action, leapt forward, sword in hand, and ran toward the arachnoid mob.

"What are you doing?" the young heroine exclaimed confusedly.

"Saving your hay burner." He replied, pausing only for a moment to look back. "Orko, help Adora find the commander so she can get her sword back. I'll take care of things here."

"Are you crazy? There's too many of them!" Adora shouted.

But by then Adam was already gone. Fueled by righteous determination and a need for showing off, he charged straight into the crowd. Then, without thinking, he jumped onto the back of one of the Spiders, used him as a springboard to jump even higher, did a flip in midair, cut the rope with his sword, and made a perfect landing right in front of the noble beast.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe that actually worked." The young Prince said, somehow all in one breath. "Why am I always so cool when no one's around?"

"Hey, thanks for the assist there, guy." Swift Wind said as he attempted to shake the noose from his neck. "Eh… Who are you?"

"The name's…"

"What are you waiting for?" yelled one of the Spiders in the crowd. "Kill him!"

"You know what, how about I just show you." Adam said hastily before raising his sword and shouting. "_BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!_"

In a flash of light and 80's sound effects, the young Prince was transformed into a ten foot tall, stalwart mountain of manly might. The Blonde Barbarian. The Golden-haired Gladiator. The Bare-chested Guardian of all that was good and wholesome.

He-Man.

"**_I HAVE THE POWEEEEEEEEEER_**!"

As expected, the Spiders all stopped dead in their tracks. Save for one who had the foresight to bolt as soon as Adam raised his sword. A veteran of the Great Unrest. Passed over for a promotion six times. But tonight he was one of the lucky ones.

"_Woah_…" Swift Wind said softly; completely awestruck by what he'd just seen. "That was just… _Woah_…"

"Yeah, it's kinda cool. I guess." Adam replied, feigning modestly. "So what do you say, Mighty Pegasus? Shall we sally forth and vanquish these troublesome tomnoddies?"

"I didn't understand some of those words, but let's do it!"

And with that, the two warriors jumped headfirst into the fray.

XXX

(_Meanwhile, back with Adora_)

While Adam and Swift Wind were busy making short work of the Spiders, Adora and Orko were dashing through the camp under the cover of darkness. Having hung back just long enough to witness the Prince's transformation, the young heroine's mind was racing as she struggled to understand what she'd just seen.

'Oh-my-gosh! That was nuts!' she thought frantically as she followed close behind the floating Trollan. 'I mean, one second he's normal, then he raises his sword and _BOOM_ he's a giant. Is that what I look like when I turn into She-Ra? His sword does kinda look like mine. That's really weird. He has a pretty good battle cry though. _I have the power! _Maybe I should say something like that.'

But before she could explore this notion any further, her thoughts were suddenly derailed when Orko's hand brought her to an abrupt halt.

"_Shhh_…" the Trollan mage went as he gestured for her to peer around the corner with him.

Before them, about fifty yards away, was the base of the crystalline tower, and in the shadow of that tower, Councilman Chula and his secretary Webstor were apparently having a 'friendly' discussion.

"What the hell is going on?" Chula screamed at the top of his voice. "Why is there gunfire going off in _my_ base?"

"I don't know, Sir. Let me check." Webstor replied calmly as he tapped on his data pad. "_Hmm_… It would seem that our prisoners have escaped."

"_What_? How'd the little monkeys pull that off?"

"Again, I don't know, Sir. But apparently they've set that flying horse we captured free and are using it to start a riot." The well-dressed Spider answered. "And I'm afraid it only gets worse. According to Thrax, some animal from the forest just burst through the main gate two minutes ago."

"Damn it!" the fat Spider cursed. "This is all just falling apart!"

"Agreed, Sir. Shall I tell the men to initiate Scorched Earth Protocol?"

"And tell the other members of the Council that I lost our only foothold in the Light Hemisphere? Fat chance! If we lose this base then the last four year will've been for nothing!"

"Then what do you propose we do?"

"Get the mech."

"_What_?"

"You heard me. We're gonna put an end to this madness ourselves."

"So in other words, you want me to take care of everything while you hide in your office."

"Don't back sass your leader! Just do it!"

Then without another word, Webstor bowed respectfully and scuttled off; leaving the Councilman alone and unprotected.

Perfect.  
"Okay, so the fat jerk's all alone. And he's still wearing my Sword on his belt." Adora whispered bitterly to her floating friend. "But he's also got a gun. So how do we get it back?"

"Try calling it back to your hand." Orko suggested.

"What?"

"You know, just hold out your hand and summon it to you with your mind."

"I can't do that!"

"Have you ever tried?"

"Well… no, but I never thought I needed to."

"Well, Adam can do it and your swords look almost the same. Why not give it a try?"

The Mage's logic was sketchy at best, but since she didn't have any better ideas Adora deiced to give it a try. So, feeling utterly ridiculous, she closed her eyes, raised her right arm, held out her hand, and thought about her sword.

'Sword~ Come to me~' she thought.

Nothing happened.

'Sword~ Come to me now~'

Nothing happened.

'Sword~ Come to me~ Please?"

_WWHSHING!_

And just like that, the Sword of Protection was back with its rightful owner.

Adora couldn't believe that something so stupid had actually worked, but she couldn't argue with the results. Unfortunately, before she could bask in her victory, a familiar voice caught her attention.

"You little bitch!" Chula roared as he pulled out his plasma blaster and fired six shots. "Look what you did to my robe!"

It took a moment, but the young heroine eventually noticed the large gash cut into the Spider's ornate silk robe; obviously her sword's work. Not that it mattered now that she had her signature weapon back.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Orko asked frantically as Adora jumped into the line of fire.

"Something awesome!" she replied before raising her sword and shouting. "_FOR THE HONOR OF GRAYSKULL!_"

And, just like with Adam, Adora was transformed into a blonde, statuesque hero of legend in a flash of light and sound effects.

"**_I_**… uh… **_AM SHE-RAAAAAAAAAAAA!_**"

"Whoa…" said the Trollan mage in utter astonishment. "So _shiny_~"

"Well, aren't you just full of surprises." Chula said mockingly, after getting over his initial shock. "So, there exists another who can wield the Ancient Power of the Elders."

"The Ancient What of the Who-Now?"

"Screw King Hiss and his expensive tastes. You'll be much more valuable to us on the dissection table."

"Uh… am I missing something? I'm an eight foot tall magical lady with a sword and you're an old fat guy with a gun. I don't think I'm the one in trouble here."

"Ah-_HA-HA-__**HA**_! Foolish girl. You still don't get it do you? We are the Spider Guild! The true Masters of Eternia! The monsters of the Dark Hemisphere, the demons that keep you up at night, they all prostrate themselves before us! Beg us for our food and resources! As will all of Eternia! For we-**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!_**"

It had happened so suddenly that Adora had to rub her eyes to make sure she hadn't imagined it. But sure enough, it was true. In the middle of his villainous monologue, Councilman Taran Chula of the Spider Guild had been pounced on and was currently being mauled by a very large, very scary, very green saber-toothed tiger.

"Oh… oh my gosh…" the young heroine said with wide-eyed disbelief as she continued to watch the old fat Spider get viciously disemboweled. "That… that got dark. That got dark _so_ fast."

"Battle Cat!" Orko shouted elatedly as he floated onto the scene. "There you are! Oh, you had us worried there, Little Buddy."

'Little Buddy?' Adora repeated in her head confusedly before her brain finally caught up. "Wait, _that's_ Battle Cat?"

"Yup." The Trollan mage replied innocently as he proceeded to scratch the ferocious beast behind the ear. "Aww~ Who's a good boy~ Who's a good boy~"

_Good boy _was not the word Adora would've chosen. When Adam had told her about Battle Cat, she'd expected him to be some kind of feline creature big enough to ride on. Not some enormous, bloodthirsty tiger war beast.

Suddenly, the creature took notice of the young heroine and started to make its way slowly towards her. Within moments it was standing before her. Blood and ichor still dripping from its jaws. Its hot breath reeking like a butcher shop. Its piercing yellow eyes glaring directly into her soul. It was all she could do not to piss herself.

"N-N-N-Nice kitty." She said nervously as she hesitantly tried to pet the mighty beast. "Nice giant, horrifying monster kitty."

But as soon as her hand touched the creature's forehead, Adora's mind was assaulted by a thousand thoughts and images simultaneously. It all happened so quickly that she couldn't retain most of what she'd seen, but what little she could remember made her brain tingle.

"O…kay…" she said as she pulled her hand away. "Well, that was weird."

Just then, Battle Cat let out a low growl, but to Adora's ears it sounded like plain English.

"Wait… did you just… say something?"

_Growl_.

"Oh my gosh! You did!"

"Wowzers!" exclaimed Orko as he floated over. "You can understand Battle Cat? I thought only Adam could do that."

"Well… apparently I can do it too."

_Growl._

"Wait, what?"

_Growl._

"Really?"

_Roar! _

"Okay, yeah, I'll do that."

"What? What did he say?" asked the Trollan mage confusedly.  
"Eh… short version, he said he brought reinforcements, but they can't get in until I destroy this First Ones Tower."

"Wow, neat-o. Didn't understand that last part, but I'm into it."

"Good, let's get to work."

And with that said, Adora raised her sword and charged towards the imposing tower.

Finally, after a week of alien planets, spider people and talking tigers, smashing dangerous First Ones Tech was something she could wrap her head around.

XXX

(_Back with Adam_)

Of the nearly two dozen Arachna that had opposed the unlikely duo, all but one were lying dead on the ground; the exception of course being the savvy vet who'd had the good sense to run off like a coward.

Anyway, with the situation momentarily under control, our two heroes took said moment to breathe a sigh of relief.

"_Oh my god!_"

Or in Swift Wind's case, to have a panic attack.

"_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!_" the talking horse repeated as he started to hyperventilate. "That got _so_ dark! That got _so_ dark _so_ fast!"

"Are you alright, noble Phaethon?" Adam asked, once again showing off his extensive vocabulary.

"No! I am not alright! I am a million miles away from alright! I just stomped like _nine_ people to death! Literally _stomped_ their guts out!" Swift Wind replied, clearly on the verge of a breakdown, before adding. "And stop calling me things I don't understand. It give me anxiety."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive." The young Prince said soothingly as he started to stroke the horse's mane. "I know the life of a warrior isn't always easy, but you did well out there. You should be proud."

"I know, it's just… fighting the Horde is so much different. I'm not used to seeing so much blood. I… I think I need a week off from all this hero stuff."

"**A week? Hell, take the rest of your life.**" A mechanically modified voice boomed from out of nowhere. "**Whatever's left of it.**"

Suddenly, scuttling along on eight hydraulic legs, a mechanical spider as big as a house arrived on the scene. It was a clunky looking, heavily armored war machine painted up in basic gunmetal. Attached to either side of its abdomen were a Gatling gun and what appeared to be a surface to air missile launcher. At the head of the robotic behemoth was the cockpit, in which sat a familiar face; the ever charming Secretary Webstor.

"**This game ends now.**" The sleezy Spider said as he aimed his weapons directly at our two heroes.

Naturally, Adam was prepared to fight to his last breath, even if Swift Wind looked like he was already on his, but fortunately it didn't come to that. For just as Webstor was about to fire, an explosion suddenly got everyone's attention. In the distance, the imposing black opal tower at the center of the base spontaneously collapsed under its own weight and fell to the ground with an earthshattering _thud_.

"**Oh… dear.**" Webstor muttered nervously.

Just then the earth began to shake, as though the base was sitting on a massive fault line. Moments later, a dozen or so giant plants started sprouting from the ground. Some were enormous trees that tore buildings apart from the inside. Others were gargantuan carnivorous plants that started devouring unfortunate Spiders by the mouthful. In either case, it was suddenly clear to Adam that the tower had been doing more than just obscuring the view from above.

"**You know… suddenly this seems like a bad place to be.**" The secretary Spider said as he started to move his mech in reverse. "**So… I'm just gonna…**"

But before he could finish that thought, another gigantic plant suddenly shot up from beneath the mech; sending it flying through the air and into a nearby building. To Adam's great surprise, this new plant was completely different from the others; it looked eerily similar to the giant beanstalks of Earth that his mother had told him about as a child. At any rate, the plant grew to about thirty feet high before the top opened up like a lotus blossom; revealing two familiar figures standing in the center.

The first one resembled some kind of humanoid ape-man covered in thick green fur. Its body was dotted with leaves and vines that seemed to be growing out of its skin, while its face was like a random assortment of parts that didn't seem to match but somehow went well together; specifically his long green goatee, deerlike nose, and glowing blue eyes.

The other looked like a weird fusion between the spirit of death and a cactus. Its thin skeletal body was like a human shaped collection of thorns and chloroplasts. Its glowing red eyes and hideous mouth made its face look like a jack-o-lantern, but with a mass of thorny vines that sat atop it and writhed like the hair of a gorgon.

Adam had met both of them before, each under entirely different circumstances, so their strange appearances didn't surprise him in the least. But what struck him as odd was the way they were interacting with each other. Standing shoulder to shoulder. Almost as if they were equals. Or friends.

'Moss Man and Evilseed? Working together?' the young Prince thought as he struggled to compute this unprecedented turn of events. 'What the _hell_?'

End Notes:

Personally, I think this is the best chapter so far.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one.

Peace.


	11. Chapter 10: Light and Shadow

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Blah. Blah. Blah. Enjoy.

Chapter 10: Light and Shadow

(_The ruins of Chulatown: Twenty-two minutes later_)

Four years ago, the Spider Guild illegally and covertly purchased a small portion of the Evergreen Forest and tore it down to make room for their new base; essentially declaring war on the forest itself.

Tonight the forest struck back and, with extreme prejudice, drove the Spiders out. Now all that remained of Chulatown were heaps of twisted metal and circuitry buried beneath the new foliage.

At the center of the newly formed grove, a small clearing was left open so our heroes and their steeds could have enough room to move around. Things had gotten pretty hectic during all the confusion, but finally everyone was back together; with some extras.

"Oh, Adora! I can't believe it's really you!" Swift Wind proclaimed loudly as he used his wings to embrace his beloved rider; joyful tears streaming from his eyes. "I thought I was never gonna see you again. You wouldn't believe what I've been through. First I woke up in this big empty cave, only it wasn't really empty, it was full of dragons! Then I met these three giants, who seemed nice at first, but then they all got drunk and started chasing after me with clubs yelling '_Piñata~ Piñata~_' and I don't even know what that means!"

"_Shh~ Shh~_ It's okay." Adora said soothingly as she stroked her faithful steed's mane. "This whole thing has been like a long, crazy dream. But at least we're together now. And at least we're among friends."

"Yeah, I… I guess you're right. That Adam guy seems pretty cool." The talking horse admitted, looking a short distance away to where the young Prince and his Court Magician were having a similar moment with his own faithful steed. "But I'm not so sure about those two."

The young Heroine didn't need to look to know who her mount was talking about. On the other side of the clearing, the two nature elementals who had come to their aid against the Spiders, identified by Adam as Moss Man and Evilseed, were chatting amongst themselves. Adora wasn't quite sure why, but she was certain that she was the topic of their conversation. Possibly because one of them kept shooting her dirty looks.

"It's okay." She told her steed, half lying. "Adam doesn't seem too worried and he's the expert on this place. And anyway, we won't be here for much longer. Adam says he knows people who can sent us back to Etheria. We'll be home again in no time."

"_Ha_, an ironic choice of words." Said a familiarly phlegmy voice. Unsurprisingly, Evilseed was suddenly standing directly in front of them. "But I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere. We have waited too long for the She-Ra to return. And I will not allow you to leave until you've repaired the damage you've done."

Needless to say, Adora was startled by the plant-man's abrupt appearance, but more than that she was confused by his words. What damage? What did he mean he'd been waiting for She-Ra's return? How did he even know who She-Ra was? Unfortunately, before she could actually ask any of these questions, Moss Man intervened.

"I'm sorry, Miss." The green man-ape said congenially as he stepped forward and put a hand on his… er… companion's shoulder. "You'll have to forgive my brother. You see, we…"

"**_BROTHER?_**" Adam exclaimed in utter disbelief as he too joined the conversation. "You two are _brothers_?"

"I believe that's what I just said."

"But… But… you're always trying to destroy each other." The young Prince said confusedly. "I don't understand."

"I imagine the list of things _you_ don't understand would fill a very long book." Evilseed replied condescendingly. "And besides, such an action would go against the natural order. I cannot destroy my brother any more than he can destroy me. My only goal is to make up for _his_ weakness."

"Evilseed speaks the truth. At least in part." Moss Man chimed in again. "To destroy one of us would mean destroying the other. All I've ever tried to do is contain my brother. To keep him from hurting himself, or anyone else."

"Okay… I followed _some_ of that." Adora said, still completely in the dark. "But what did he mean about 'repairing the damage I'd done'? I've only been on this planet a few days. I haven't _done_ anything."

"_Ha_. Ignorance must be hereditary." Evilseed spoke up again. "Very well, I'll explain it to you. Long ago, my brother and I existed as one being, the mighty Arbutus; the living embodiment of Eternia itself and the enforcer of its natural law. But then, roughly a thousand years ago, a terrible catastrophe occurred. One that mutated wildlife, warped the landscape and caused climate change on a colossal scale."

"The Great Separation." Adam said ominously.

"The what?" Adora asked confusedly.

"It was a disaster that happened a thousand years ago." The young Prince explained. "An enormous wave of negative energy struck Eternia, contaminating half the planet and splitting it into the Light and Dark Hemispheres."

"And when the world split, we split." Moss Man said sullenly.

"Trapping us in these debased forms with only a fraction of our former power." His 'brother' added bitterly.

"Whoa… that's… that's pretty heavy." Adora said as this new information sunk in. "What could cause something like that?"

"No one knows." Adam answered. "There was so much destruction and chaos that we lost a good chunk of our recorded history from before the catastrophe. It's something scientists and historians have been speculating about for centuries."

"Well, speculate no more." Evilseed said as he cast an evil eye on Adora. "Because the cause of that disaster is standing right here!"

Our young Heroine nearly did a doubletake as the skeletal plant-man pointed at her accusingly.

"_What_! What are you talking about? I wasn't even born a thousand…" Just then, realization hit her like a steamer trunk full of concrete. She-Ra. A thousand years ago. O-M-G. "Wait, are you talking about Mara?"

Upon hearing that name, Evilseed let out an angry hiss and spat on the ground.

"Do not speak that whore's name in my presence!" he shouted venomously. "It is because of her that our world was thrown into chaos! And our beloved sister was lost to the void of Despondos!"

"That's enough, Evilseed!" Moss Man said sternly. "You know darn well that Mara wasn't completely to blame for what happened. There were outside forces at work."

"_BAH_!" his brother replied, before folding his arms and pouting like a child.

"Okay, okay, can we back it up just a second here." Adam interjected. "Let's take this one thing at a time. Firstly, who the heck is Mara?"

"She was the previous She-Ra from a thousand years ago." Adora explained before angrily adding. "Did you listen to _any_ of my story?"

"Learn how to tell one and maybe next time I will." The young Prince replied derisively. "Anyway, secondly, you two have a sister?"

"Yes, Lady Razzuma." Moss Man answered sadly. "The physical embodiment of Eternia's sister planet, Etheria. Back when my brother and I were still one, we would often communicate with her telepathically across the void of space. But when Mara took the planet to Despondos our connection was severed. We haven't spoken to her in over a millennium."

"Oh my… that's terrible." The young Heroine said, feeling pangs of guilt well up in her chest. "Wait… Razzuma? Do you mean Madame Razz? Short, purple lady with big hair and glasses?"

"Yup, that's our Razzy." The mossy man-ape replied with a sort of bittersweet smile. "How is she?"

"Oh she's fine. I think. I mean, she seems happy, but sometimes she has trouble telling the past from the present."

"I feared as much. Etheria's magic allows her to travel along her own timeline at will, but without us to help keep her focused it's easy for her mind to wander."

"**_RAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_**" Evilseed roared out of nowhere. "Enough talking!"

"Easy, Brother. Just calm down."

"No! I will not calm down! Our sister is in danger, Eternia is unbalanced, and I can't take living in this form for one more second! Make her fix us, Brother! Make her fix everything!"

"We've been over this. It's not that simple. You just need to wait a little longer."

"**_NO MORE WAITING!_**"

Without warning, Eviseed lunged at Adora; his eyes aglow with hatred. But fortunately, before he could lay a single thorn on her, Moss Man stepped in and unleashed a puff blue pollen from his hand that seemed to pacify his darker half.

"_Fix us… Bring her back… Filthy whore…_"

And just like that, he was out like a light. Before he could fall over, Moss Man caught him and cradled the skeletal creature in his arms like one would a child.

"Oh Brother… what am I going to do with you?" he said sadly as he lifted his darker side off the ground. "I hate to cut this visit short, but as you can see I have other business to attend to. I can keep my Brother calm and lucid for a time, but when he gets like this the only thing to do is keep him contained. I'm afraid I must be going."

"Wait!" Adam cried, as the ancient god started to walk away. "You can't give us a few bits of cryptic information and then walk away! That's just… _sadistic_!"

"Yeah!" agreed Adora. "I didn't really understand a lot of what's been said, but if this place has some connection to Etheria or the First Ones, as She-Ra, I need to know about it. Can't you tell us something? _Anything_? Please?"

At first, Moss Man said nothing; he just looked at the two of them with an unreadable expression. Finally, after another minute or two of silence, he sighed and said.

"I understand your confusion, but I cannot stay. My Brother must be contained before he wakes up. However, if you're truly this desperate for answers, then travel north to Castle Grayskull. The Sorceress and her new companion can explain things much better than I can."

Both Adam and Adora opened their mouths to ask some more questions, but by then the two ancients had vanished back into their sacred forest.

Leaving our two heroes even more confused than when they'd started.

(_Castle Grayskull, many, many hours later_)

After Moss Man's departure, Adam, Adora and the others had a long conversation regarding their next move. Some, Swift Wind in particular, wanted to rest for the night and come up with a plan in the morning. Others, Adora most notably, wanted, no, needed answers and insisted on heading to the castle immediately to speak with this so-called Sorceress. Ultimately, Adam was left with the deciding vote, and since he felt that he was too wound up to sleep anyway, he opted to make the long journey; if for no other reason than to get it over with.

It was some time around 5:30 in the morning when the group arrived at their destination. Sunrise was still an hour away, so the ancient ruin was bathed in an eerie blackness that made it look even creepier than it already was.

"You want us to go in _there_?" Swift Wind asked, sounding panic-stricken. "Are you _nuts_?"

"Easy, Swifty. Everything's gonna be alright." Adora said soothingly as she stroked her loyal mount's mane.

"Are you kidding? You want us to go into a big, spooky, probably haunted castle with a big creepy skull face on it, _at night_, after we just fought a whole swarm of spider people. And even if it isn't haunted, the whole thing's probably gonna collapse while we're inside and then we'll all fall into that bottomless pit. I mean seriously, who builds a castle over a bottomless pit?"

"It's not bottomless." Adam corrected him. "At worst, it's only a seventeen mile drop."

"You say that like it's better! You know it's not, right?"

"Look, I know it's scary, but if there's some kind of clue about Mara and the First Ones in there, I'm willing to risk it." Adora said boldly. "But if you really don't wanna come, you can just wait out here."

"Out _here_? In the _dark_? _Alone_? No way, Jose!" the noble steed said, flipflopping a bit. "Besides, it's a moot point anyway. The door is shut and we can't…"

_CREEEEEEEEEK!_

Went the drawbridge as came down and hit the earth beneath it with a deafening,

**_THWUMP!_**

"_sigh_… Me and my big mouth." Said Swift Wind despondently.

"Aww~ Don't be afraid, Swift Wind. It's not scary in there." Orko said in an attempt to ease his new friend's concerns. "There's all these big rooms full of big shiny crystals, and the Sorceress is really nice."

"_HA_! That's debatable." Adam said gruffly as the group started crossing the drawbridge. "Look, let's just get this over with, alright. I don't even like coming here during the day."

"What's the matter? You're not scared, are you, Adam?" Adora asked teasingly.

"_No_. I just hate talking to the Sorceress. She's a condescending, know-it-all who never passes on a chance to bop me in the head with her stupid staff. She's a real bit…"

**_WHAM!_**

Suddenly the drawbridge closed behind them. Before anyone realized what had happened, they were standing in the halls of Castle Grayskull.

Everything was pitch black.

But then, a series of wall mounted torches started lighting up; illuminating the entire room.

"_Welcome, O Children of Grayskull~_" an ethereal voice said from seemingly everywhere at once. "_I have been expecting you~_"

Moments later, a light appeared in the distance; this one much brighter than the others. A glorious golden radiance that seemed to be coming closer and closer. When the light was finally close enough, Adora could see that is was coming from what appeared to be a small, golden, presumably magical falcon. Upon seeing them, the bird in question let out a mighty screech before swooping down to land. But the instant its talons touched the ground, the creature was enveloped by an even brighter light, and when that light faded something new stood in its place.

It was a woman. The most beautiful woman Adora had ever seen. Skin as dark as the desert sands. Eyes like sparkling emeralds. Her curvaceous body was scantily clad in glistening gold and purest jade. In her right hand she held a golden staff which bore the image of a falcon and upon her back she had a pair of wings which vaguely reminded her of Queen Angela.

In short, the young heroine found her quite breathtaking.

"Whoa…" she said dreamily as she stared at the enchanting goddess.

"Does my form please you, young warrior?" the older woman asked seductively.

Adora only nodded in reply.

"That is good." She smiled mischievously before continuing. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am called the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull. But you may call me the Great and Powerful Sorceress of Castle Grayskull. Guardian of her Treasure. Keeper of her Secrets. Teller of her Stories. And Mistress of…"

"Oh, quit showing off, you old bag." Adam said sharply, before turning to his fellow adventurer. "And you, quit drooling. You know she's old as dirt, right? She's old enough to be your grandmother. Heck, she's old enough to be your grandmother's great grandmother's great-great-great grandmoth-_OW_!"

With almost imperceptible speed, the golden goddess leapt to the Prince's side, whacked him over the head with her staff, and then jumped back to her original position.

"As usual, you exaggerate. I'm only 112. Which is quite young when you consider that my mother lived to be over 300." She said matter-of-factly. "But that is beside the point. Welcome to Castle Grayskull, young warriors. I am pleased to see… most of you."

Adam growled as he attempted to nurse the sore spot on his head, but he was promptly ignored.

"Hi, Sorceress!" Orka said excitedly as he floated up to greet her.

"Well, hello there, Orko." She replied, sounding genuinely pleased to see the little Trollan. "A pleasure to see you again, my friend. Especially today. You have done Eternia a great service by rescuing your young master and brining the She-Ra to the Castle."

"Aww shucks. It was nothing."

"H-H-How do you know about She-Ra?" Adora blurted out suddenly, having finally regained her composure. "What does Eternia have to do with Etheria? Is this where the First Ones came from? Why is-_OOOF_!"

The Sorceress placed a single finger on the young Heroine's lips; effectively silencing her barrage of inquiries.

"My, my, so many questions." She said in a tone that was only slightly condescending. "But I suppose you've earned the right. Very well, to answer your first question. I know about you and your tittle as She-Ra because my new friend told me all about it."

With a wave of her left hand, the goddess' shadow expanded into a perfect circle, and from out of that circle arose a scarlet colored specter wearing a familiarly featureless facemask.

"Hello, Adora." The female wraith said with just a hint of warmth in her voice. "You're looking well."

"_Shadow Weaver!_" the young Heroine exclaimed as a strange, irrational fury welled up inside her. Suddenly, and without any warning, she drew her sword and lunged towards her former guardian; her intent obvious to even the most indifferent observers. However, before she could even get close, the Sorceress waved her other hand and Adora became frozen in place.

"There will be none of that." She said sternly before bonking her on the head with her staff; releasing her from the spell and causing her to collapse on the floor in a heap. "Impetuousness must be hereditary."

"_OW!_" Adora cried as she got back to her feet; nursing the knot on her head. "That really hurt!"

"Well then don't do stupid things and I won't have to do it again." The Sorceress replied smugly.

"Adam's right, you're just a mean lady who… who… who's just being mean!" the young Heroine proclaimed; more than slightly embarrassed by her lack of eloquence. "And why is Shadow Weaver here? Don't you know who she is?"

"Yes, I know who she is. Do you know who you are?"

"I… uh-but… I… What?"

"I didn't think so. But then how could you know? You only recently discovered your destiny as the She-Ra. How could you even begin to grasp your true identity?"

"Eh… what?"

"Excuse me." Adam interjected, clearly annoyed about being left out of the conversation. "I hate to interrupt whatever the heck this is, but can you please explain why there's an evil witch in the Castle? I mean come on! You once yelled at me for bringing in a sandwich!"

"No, I yelled at your dripping mustard on my clear floors, but that is immaterial. As for your question, she is here because I invited her."

Apparently sensing another parade of _what_'s, Shadow Weaver jumped in preemptively.

"Allow me to explain." She said in the least confrontational tone she could manage. "As you know, Adora, I was recently ousted as Hordak's Second-in-command and sentenced to a slow, painful death on Beast Island. I managed to escape, obviously, but the effort left me drained. So I used our… special connection to hide myself within your shadow so I could recuperate."

Adora seethed with anger upon hearing the words 'special connection', but a stern look from the Sorceress made her hold her tongue.

"Naturally, I was with you when the Tower activated, so I was sent here as well."

"That's where I came in." the Sorceress interjected. "When I sensed that you'd returned to Eternia, I tried to reach out to you psychically. But you were too delirious to retain the message."

"But I wasn't." Shadow Weaver jumped back in. "I heard it loud and clear. So, using what little strength I had left, I fled your shadow and followed the signal to Castle Grayskull."

"And we've been comparing notes ever since."

"Okay… but that still doesn't explain why you let her in." Adam asserted authoritatively. "You don't even let my Father in here."

"Shadow Weaver had information about Adora that I needed and I had information about Eternia that she needed. It's as simple as that." The goddess said casually. "Besides, she's no threat to me. I have nothing to fear from amateurs."

"Oh~ An amateur am I?" Shadow Weaver said, sounding uncharacteristically playful. "That's not what you said when we…"

"_AHEM! Not in front of the children._"

"Yes, please, not in front of us." The young Prince chimed in, sounding deeply, _deeply_ disgusted. "And also, _EEEEEEW!_"

"It's not what you think."

"I don't care what it is, I don't wanna hear it!"

"This one's a bit of a whiner, isn't he." The shadowy wraith observed.

"You have no idea." The Sorceress replied teasingly.

"Um, hello! We were talking about _me_!" Adora jumped in, sounding understandably hostile. "Moss Man said that Mara did something terrible to this planet when she sent Etheria to Despondos. And when I was fighting the Spiders, one of them called She-Ra's power the 'Ancient Power of the Elders'. I don't know how, but She-Ra is connected to this place. So if you know something, you have to tell me."

An awkward pause followed her little rant, allowing her temper to cool before she added.

"Please."

"_sigh_. Very well." The golden goddess said wearily before turning to Shadow Weaver. "How shall we proceed, Love?"

"Just be direct." The shadowy wraith replied. "Adora has never been good with riddles or metaphors."

"So be it."

And with that said, the Sorceress waved her right hand once again; illuminating a wall that no one had noticed until then. But more importantly, she drew attention to what was hanging on the wall. A large, hand-painted oil painting in an ornate golden frame. It depicted a man and a woman in regal dress holding two tiny infants wrapped in swaddling clothes. Naturally, Adora had no idea what it meant, but Adam's face suddenly grew very pale.

"You have never seen this, my Prince. But you know what it is, do you not?" the Sorceress asked.

"Yes… yes, I do." He replied somberly, before turning to Adora; apparently sensing her confusion. "My Father commissioned this portrait on the day I was born. It was supposed to be a gift for me and my sister."

"Oh, you have a sister?"

"No… not anymore." He answered sadly. "She had… respiratory issues. She died shortly after we were born. And Father ordered this painting destroyed."

Just then, the young Heroine felt a strange pang in her chest.

Was this pity?

Grief?

Why would she grieve for someone she'd never met?

"What does any of this have to do with me?" Adora asked confusedly.

"Really, Adora. Haven't you figured it out yet?" Shadow Weaver said with a sort of dry amusement. "Often I have told you how you were found by the Horde in a field outside a ruined city. Did you never once wonder how you got there? Or who you were before then?"

"Well of course I have, but what does…"

Suddenly, a harsh wave of understanding washed over her like a tsunami.

"No…"

"Yes." The wraith replied.

"But… but I can't be…"

"You can, you are, and you know it." The Sorceress said sternly. "You've sensed it ever since you first arrived on this planet. An unexplained connection. A familiar feeling. That is because you were born on Eternia and now you have returned."

"No, no, that's not possible." Adam spoke up, sounding both confused and disturbed. "She can't be her. She can't be…"

"Your Sister." Shadow Weaver finished his sentence. "I'm afraid it's true. The Sorceress and I have been trading information and it all checks out. Adora is and always has been your flesh and blood. She _is_ Princess Galatea!"

End Notes:

Thanks for reading.

Peace.


	12. Chapter 11: The Power of Grayskull

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Blah. Blah. Blah. Enjoy.

Chapter 11: The Power of Grayskull

(_Right where we left off_)

"Gal-uh-tay-uh…" Adora repeated the name; sounding out each syllable to see how it felt on her tongue. "What the heck kind of name is that?"

"It's… it's a Greek name." Adam said, clearly still in shock. "That's the language of… Mother's people. It means 'white as milk' and refers to the masterwork of the sculptor Pygmalion."

"So… our parents named me after a statue?" she asked, before the full weight of what she'd just said dawned on her. "I… I have parents?"

"So it would seem." The young Prince replied. "I… I'm not really sure how I feel about this. Other than that I've never been so happy to be rejected by a girl in my life."

"Yeah… lucky us."

The awkwardness in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"So… what do we do now?" Adora asked her… brother. "Are we supposed to hug or something?"

"I don't know." Adam replied. "There's just so many things I don't understand. How did this happen?"

"To answer that question, we must go all the way back to the beginning." Shadow Weaver said as she and the Sorceress joined hands for some reason. "Back to when the Power of Grayskull first manifested."

"You children may want to close your eyes for this next part." The ancient goddess added with her usual air of mischief.

But before any of them could even try to react, the entire room was suddenly enveloped by a blinding white light.

And then everything went blank.

XXX

(_0.27 Seconds Later_)

After an infinitesimal moment of nonresistance, Adora suddenly found herself standing in the middle of an open field. Although 'standing' probably wasn't the best word since she didn't appear to have a body at the moment. So really it was more like her consciousness was floating over an open field.

"Whoa…" she said/thought as she started to fully grasp the strangeness of her situation. "This is freaky."

"Tell me about it." Said the disembodied voice of Adam.

"Adam? Adam, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm right beside you. I think."

"Hey guys! I'm here too." Orko called out from nowhere. "This is pretty neat, huh?"

"Are you nuts? I don't have a body! I can't even blink!" said Swift Wind, clearly still shaken by the day's events. "_Ugh_… This is sooooo wrong!"

_ROAR!_

"Okay, so we're all here. But where is here?" the young Prince asked confusedly.

"Look to your left and you will see." Said the voice of the Sorceress from somewhere high above.

Seeing no alternative, the group did as instructed, only to be met with a most alarming sight.

It was Castle Grayskull, but not as the decaying ruin surrounded by a bottomless pit they all knew. This one sat within a lush green meadow surrounded by fields and farms. And the castle itself looked almost brand-new. The walls were like polished marble. Flags were flying over the towers. The skull face was still creepy, but it was a much fancier type creepy.

"Where… or rather, when are we?" Adam asked, having some experience with time travel.

"This is Eternia, roughly two thousand years ago. In what is now known as the Age of Strife." The Sorceress explained academically. "During this time, our world was home to thousands of independent nations, each one constantly fighting with the others over limited land and resources. This was the Kingdom of Grayskull, ruled by your ancestor, King D'Vann Grayskull."

"Wait, there was a _King_ Grayskull?" Adora asked confusedly.

"Yes, but unfortunately nearly all traces of his existence were lost during the Great Separation. Such a pity." The ancient goddess answered, sounding genuinely disheartened. "But at any rate, please direct your attention to the skies above."

Again they all did as instructed and, to their amazement, they saw a peculiar looking celestial body just faintly visible in the daytime sky. Adora could sense the confusion of her companions, but somehow, she knew exactly what it was.

"Is that Etheria?" she asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Very good, Adora." Shadow Weaver said approvingly. "Long before the First Ones colonized it, Etheria shared this part of the universe with Eternia. There were like twin planets, equal but opposite. While Eternia was diverse with sentient lifeforms, Etheria was rich with natural resources. The most prominent of which was magic."

In an instant the scene changed and the group suddenly found themselves at the bottom of a large, smoking crater.

"Where are we now?" asked Adam.

"Just watch and you'll see." Replied the Sorceress.

Just then, the group noticed that at the center of the crater there was a large, heavily damaged craft of some kind. By this point it was all but a total wreck; covered in soot and battle scars. But on the few undamaged bits, Adora could clearly see the unmistakable crystalline finish of First Ones Tech.

But before she could vocalize this realization, a figure immerged from out of the wreckage. It was a man, a human man, but not like any the young Heroine had ever seen before. He was at least twelve feet tall and completely ripped. I mean seriously, it looked as though his abs had been chiseled out of marble. He had long, blonde hair that hung over his shoulders in a fashion that was somehow both barbaric and regal, and his piercing eyes sparkled liked mud colored diamonds. Upon his back he wore a cape made from the skin of some great white beast; possibly a mammoth or a giant bear. In short he was quite imposing, but what really took the cake was his face.

"Adam." Adora said to her brother in hushed astonishment. "He looks just like you."

"So I've noticed." He replied, sounding just as amazed. "Is that him?"

"Indeed it is child. But take a look at what he's carrying in his arms." Shadow Weaver said cryptically.

Once again following instructions, Adora looked down and noticed that the ancient King was indeed carrying something, or rather someone. It was a woman. A beautiful, albeit battered and unconscious, woman with dark skin, dark hair and the most immaculate pair of angel wings she'd ever seen.

"Who is that?" she asked aloud.

"That is Captain Veena Itassis; a ranking officer in the Hok Science Navy and the sole survivor of that crash." The Sorceress explained, once again keeping things strictly academic. "Had King Grayskull not been out for his morning patrol, she'd likely have died from her injuries, or worse, been found by someone much less chivalrous."

"_WHISTLE!_" went the King to signal his mount, which Adora just now noticed was a giant, emerald green, saber-toothed lion. "To me, Granger!"

**_ROAR! _**

Replied the great beast as he returned to his master's side and allowed him to climb on. Moments later, the mighty jungle cat reared upward and then dashed off; presumably in the direction of the Castle.

"Who are the Hok?" Adam asked, seemingly at random, but admittedly Adora had been wondering the same thing.

"The Hok are… or rather were an ancient and powerful race from a distant world. Eons ahead of the rest of the universe in terms of technology and their understanding of the mystic arts, but their success had made them arrogant. They refused to share their advancements with anyone, which made them a tempting target for raiders. After several decades of hit and run attacks, the sparse few that remained fled their planet in search of a new one. Which is how Captain Veena ended up here."

"Whoa… that's some heavy stuff." Adam said in wonder. "So what happened to her?"

"Oh… King Grayskull took her back to his Castle to recover." The ancient goddess explained. "Naturally, she wasn't too thrilled about being 'held captive' by a stranger, especially an alien, but over the next few months she softened up and even started to trust him. But of course, coming from an isolationist culture, Veena still wanted to leave Eternia as soon as possible to rejoin her people. That is… until one day."

Once again the scene changed and our heroes found themselves in front of Castle Grayskull, only now everything looked different. The sky was overcast, making the landscape seem darker, colder, and somehow edgier than it had before. In the distance, a great black shadow was crawling across the ground; making it appear as though the fields and spinneys were being consumed by a giant blob of tar.

"Look!" cried Adam in shock and alarm.

Despite not being able to see where he was pointing, Adora somehow knew to look up. And what she saw was almost too terrifying to believe.

High above Eternia flew a positively gigantic spaceship; roughly the same size as a football stadium for you unfortunate Earthers. Compared to the sleek, crystalline structure of the Hok vessel, this ship looked rather clunky. The outer hull was a dull metallic grey and some of the parts on the engine looked like they'd been cannibalized from other vehicles. But by far the most striking feature was the insignia painted on the bow; a blood colored skull with bat wings.

"It… it can't be." The young Heroine thought aloud.

But before she could question things any further, a strange, shimmering effect appeared on the plain twenty yards away from the main gate. Within seconds, hundreds, perhaps even thousands of armed warriors appeared on the field before them. At first glance they seemed a rather motley crew, each one a member of completely different species. Some were reptiles, some were more like birds or fish, there were even a few that looked like they were made of rock or crystal. But what bound them all together, aside from their crazed and bloodthirsty demeanors, was the horrifying symbol they all had tattooed on their bodies; the same skull with bat wings that was on the ship.

Despite the rather ragtag nature of the group, the invading force was surprisingly well organized. They were split up into several tight little phalanxes, which formed a straight path for their leader to walk down. Or at least Adora assumed he was the leader, since out of all of them, his appearance was by far the most striking.

"Is that _Hordak_?" the young Heroine asked alarmedly.

And indeed that appeared to be the case. Granted, Adora had never actually met Hordak face to face, but she had seen his image on Horde propaganda posters enough times to recognize it anywhere. And yet, something was most definitely off about him. For one thing, he was dressed, for lack of a better comparison, like a pirate. Seriously, he had the long coat, the boots, the earrings, the dreadlocks, the tattoos, even the tricorn hat. The only thing that didn't mesh with the buccaneer motif was the weird metal collar he had around his neck, which seemed to have a speaker on the front. Another thing that was off was his eyes. The Hordak she knew had red eyes, but this guy's were green.

"No, child. That is his… oh, let's say, very distant ancestor." Shadow Weaver explained. "The great-great grandfather of he who would come to be known as Horde Prime. The dread pirate Captain Hordeth."

"Hordak's ancestor?" Adora parroted her former mentor. Well, that at least made some sense. "But what is he doing here?"

"Just listen and you'll see."

While the young Heroine had been pondering, the scene had been playing on. Apparently at some point King Grayskull had stepped outside to address the invading pirates, since that's what was currently happening.

"I am D'Vann Grayskull, King of this region." The ancient monarch said to the space pirates; his voice tone both forceful and cultured. "What brings you to my land?"

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." The pirate captain replied in a swaggering voice that sounded strangely mechanical; Adora now suspected that the collar on his neck was some kind of artificial voice box. "Name's Hordeth. And what brings me here is that little minx you've got hidden away in your Castle."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Don't play dumb with me! We know you've got her!"

"To whom are you referring?"

"_To whom are you referring_~ You know exactly to whom I'm referring to whom! That little Hok bitch! We know she's in there!"

"And what business of that is yours?"

"It's my business, because that little slut is bursting with raw energy. Enough to power a hundred starships for two years. She's worth at least 90 mil on the open market."

"So you are slave traders. Is that it?"

"We prefer the term 'entrepreneurs'." Hordeth replied jokingly, earning some hardy chuckles from his crew. "Look, you seem reasonably intelligent for a primitive, so I'm gonna make you a deal. You bring out that little flying money magnet and we'll leave. Don't and we'll kill you and everyone else inside. You're choice."

"Your vile horde will never breach the castle walls."

"Perhaps I wasn't clear before. Give us the girl or _die_!"

Upon hearing this, the King furrowed his brow and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I am not moving from this spot."

"Die it is."

Then with a snap of their captain's clawed fingers the pirates leapt into battle; shouting, cursing and brandishing their assorted deadly weapons.

Within seconds they were swarming on Grayskull like a school of piranhas; hacking, slashing, stabbing and shooting at him from every angle. But no matter how many hits he took or how much blood was spilt, the ancient King did not yield. He struck back in force; cutting down at least five or six at a time with his sword.

This continued for several minutes until finally Grayskull was the only one still standing. His body was covered with cuts and plasma burns, and the effort had left him all but completely exhausted, but the noble King was victorious.

"Is that… _pant_… the best you can…"

**_BLAM!_**

Or so it appeared.

When the dust settled, Hordeth and at least 800 of his men were still standing, and the captain himself was holding the blaster whose bolt had just pierced the King's heart.

Grayskull fell to his knees as the pirates all laughed at his misfortune, the sight of which made Adora's blood boil. Hordeth had sacrificed a couple hundred of his men, probably the weakest or least experienced, just to wear her ancestor down and leave him vulnerable to a sneak attack. It was a cowardly and dishonorable tactic. Befitting of the Horde.

"**_CHARGE!_**" Hordeth yelled at the top of his voice; signaling the entirety of his remaining forces to swarm on the castle.

But even as the pirate horde descended upon him, King Grayskull showed no signs of fear. He propped himself against his sword and fixed his attackers with a stern, steely gaze. He knew he was about to die and he accepted it with dignity. Adora couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

Just then the young Heroine noticed something out of the corner of her eye. High atop the castle wall, just above the main gate, Veena was watching these events unfold; tears streaming from her eyes. She brought her hands together, as if to pray, and was suddenly enveloped by a mysterious white aura.

"What is she doing?"

"Something that had never been done before." The Sorceress answered. "All her life, Veena had been taught to distrust and despise outsiders. To view them as covetous and greedy. But seeing Grayskull display such courage and honor, even in the face of certain death, stirred something within her. And drove her to transfer a portion of her life energy into him."

Suddenly the injured Grayskull started to glow with the same ivory aura as Veena, just as he was being overtaken by the murderous pirates.

"And when the mystic energies of the Hok merged with King Grayskull's incredible strength and determination, something new was created. Something _magnificent_."

**_BOOOOOM! _**

In an instant, the world became nothing more than a blinding flash of light and the ground shook as though it had been struck by a gigantic meteor. Moments later the light died down and the world returned, only now the scene had completely changed. Dozens of pirates were laying dead on the ground, their bodies charred to a crisp, while their surviving cohorts stood frozen in terror. King Grayskull was standing once again, his wounds miraculously healed and his body enveloped in a glorious royal blue aura; looking very much like a god.

A few of the pirates managed to overcome their shock and tried to jump him, but this proved to be a fatal mistake. For with one swing of his sword, the godly King unleashed a wave of energy that cut down his attackers, along with about four dozen other pirates who were standing behind them, and carved a massive trench in the earth.

"_Retreat!_" screamed one of the survivors, and his associates quickly followed his lead.

As his soldiers ran past him in a shameful display of cowardice, Hordeth ground his teeth in frustration. He then grabbed one unfortunate soul, who looked suspiciously similar to Adora's old teammate Rogelio, by the throat and pulled him close to his face.

"What are you doing? He's just one man!" the pirate captain said furiously.

"We'll fight men, Sir. But that guy's a demon!" replied the lizardman, earning himself a swift and painful death by strangulation.

"**_RAAAAH!_** _Children_! I'm surrounded by bloody children!" Hordeth roared in frustration. "Fine! I'll do it myself!"

And with that said, he walked towards the approaching god-king and tapped a button on his metal collar.

The two warriors were less than a few yards away from each other, when the ruthless pirate let out a deafening roar; one that formed a powerful wind tunnel that slammed right into Grayskull's body.

"The Power Shriek of Captain Hordeth was feared throughout the universe in ancient times." The Sorceress narrated. "It is said to have been powerful enough to cleave flesh from bone and shatter mountains. But even it was no match for the combined power of Captain Veena and King Grayskull."

And sure enough that seemed to be the case. For although the sonic attack had torn his clothes to shreds and sliced at his skin, the mighty King did not falter; for every new wound was quickly healed by the Vok Captain's ethereal radiance.

Little by little, Grayskull forced his way through the deadly din; slowly inching towards his intended target. At some point, even Hordeth began to marvel at his resilience and perhaps even fear for his own survival. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the mighty King grabbed the loathsome cad by his throat and lifted him high off the ground; crushing the metal collar and possibly his larynx in his iron grip. Then, using his free hand, he delivered a devasting blow to the pirate's face, sending him flying fifty yards until he hit the ground with a painful _thud_.

Those brigands who still remained looked on in horror. Their captain, the great and terrible Hordeth had been defeated. And now their fates were in the hands of some primitive warrior King with godlike powers.

"Your leader is vanquished! Take him and leave!" Grayskull said sternly to the cowering horde. "But know that if you ever return I will not be as merciful."

Not needing to be told twice, the pirates quickly collected their captain and teleported back to their ship; the ship itself began a full retreat soon after.

With the threat neutralized and his kingdom safe, the aura surrounding Grayskull dissipated and he allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief.

"It is done."

"D'Vann!" cried an exotic and unfamiliar voice from somewhere close by.

Unsurprisingly, it was Veena, who had flown down from the castle wall to embrace the weary warrior; tears of joy streaming down her face. Naturally, Grayskull returned her embrace, and before long the two were sharing a deep and passionate kiss.

"Aww~ That's beautiful." Said Orko, ever the sentimentalist. "Hey, can I get a copy of this? This would be great for the Palace's next movie night?"

"Patience, young mage." Said Shadow Weaver, sounding only slightly annoyed by his comment. "Not all stories end with two people falling in love. Sometimes, that's just how they begin."

End Notes:

Thanks for reading.

Please leave a review before you leave.

Peace.


	13. Chapter 12: The Legacy of Grayskull

Just wanted to remind everyone that this is an AU. With that said, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Enjoy.

Chapter 12: The Legacy of Grayskull

(_Right where we left off_)

Once again, the group was thrown into another sudden scene transition. Only this time what they entered was less like the next scene of a movie and more like a montage of still images.

"Almost one year after Hordeth's defeat, King Grayskull and Captain Veena were married." The Sorceress explained as stills of a beautiful wedding were displayed before them. "And nearly six months after that, a group of Hok Exploration Ships finally stumbled upon Veena's distress beacon and came to 'rescue' her."

"And I'll bet they weren't happy when they got here." Adam chimed in, clearly seeing where this was heading.

"No, not at first. At first they declared the union an abomination and labeled Veena a deviant. But through the power of Hok Dream Sharing, she showed them how noble and selfless an 'outsider' could be, and, in time, they came to understand."

"Yes, and slowly but surely that understanding spread throughout the Hok remnants scattered across the stars. Which brought them all to this system, and their new home." Shadow Weaver added poetically. "But because Eternia was already so overpopulated, Veena suggested that they settle somewhere with a little more elbow room. Namely, on the nearby planet of Etheria."

"I knew it!" Adora proclaimed triumphantly. "The Hok were the First Ones, weren't they!"

"Very good, Adora." The shadow witch said approvingly. "Yes, they were the first to colonize Etheria and they modified it using what little technology they could salvage from their homeworld. Transforming it into a semblance of the Etheria we know today."

Stills of the primordial Etheria slowly being terraformed were shown, before a familiar sensation enveloped the group and they were placed back into a proper scene.

Suddenly, they were all standing within a great stone hall. Castle Grayskull, Adora presumed, though not a part she had seen before. The walls were lined with banners and torches, and there was a long red carpet that ran down the center of the room. Where the carpet ended there were two large, ornate thrones. In one sat Queen Veena, who looked more or less the same as the last time they saw here. In the other sat King Grayskull, who looked nothing like they remembered.

This must've taken place many years later, for the great warrior King looked much, _much_, **_much_** older. He wasn't decrepit, in any sense of the word, although he had clearly lost a bit of the muscle mass he'd had in his youth. His once blonde hair was now snowy white and he had a long scruffy beard that ran down to his stomach. His once sparkling brown eyes had become dull and cloudy; presumably from cataracts. There were a number of strange tubes hooked up to his scarred chest, which were in turn attached to even stranger looking devices off to his side. They were clearly of First One… that is, of Hok design, but similar enough in appearance to certain modern devices that Adora knew almost immediately what they were.

King Grayskull was on life support.

On the opposite end of the room a large door opened and two people entered. Judging by how much they both resembled the King and Queen, it was a safe bet that these were their children.

One was a man, possibly in his mid-thirties. Of the two, he looked the most like Grayskull in his youth; albeit much less muscular. His hair was shorter and neatly trimmed. His clothes were fancier and covered everything. And he wore thick glasses, which from Adora's perspective made him look like a nerd, but all things considered he wasn't a bad looking guy.

The other was a woman, looking more or less the same age as her brother. She was almost the spitting image of her mother. The only major differences being her shorter hair, her pale pink dress, her lack of wings, and the fact that she was _clearly_ a fan of eating. So much so that the young Heroine would've been sorely tempted to take a peek at the plump princess' rather ample posterior, had she not remembered that they were blood related.

At any rate, the two approached their parents' thrones, and after giving them both a respectful bow or curtsy they spoke.

"Is something wrong, Father?" asked the woman, her voice like sugarcoated honey.

"Why have you summoned us?" asked the man, his voice firm but somehow meek at the same time.

"My children." The aging King said calmly, pausing only for a moment to cough. "Come closer. So that I might have a look at you."

Without hesitation, the two obeyed their father's wish and stepped forward. This seemed to please him greatly, for his mouth stretched into the biggest smile his haggard face would allow.

"Atticus, my son." He said, turning to the lanky prince. "Words cannot express how proud I am of you. For in a world so ruled by bloodshed, there is no more a courageous act than to choose the path of peace. If more men were as dedicated to things of beauty and words of love as you are, then Eternia would be a much more pleasant place."

He then turned to look at his other child.

"And you, Angela. My sweet, adorable little flower. You have grown into a fine young woman. Your husband is a very lucky man indeed."

Grayskull then looked up at the ceiling and a single tear ran down his cheek.

"I am truly blessed to have had such wonderful children."

"Father, what is this about? Why are you talking like this?" Atticus asked, though from his tone it was clear he already suspected the answer.

"Always so impatient, but very well. I suppose we have no time to spare." The aged King replied, pausing once again to cough. "Children, I have summoned you here because I am not long for this world. _Wheeze_. In fact, if the physicians are to be believed, I will likely be dead before sunrise."

Angela gasped and her eyes began to well up with tears.

Atticus made no outward reaction, but his face suddenly grew very pale.

"Now, now, no tears." Their father insisted. "I have lived a good life. I have loved a good woman and fathered two wonderful children. I have no regrets, save for that I must now disrupt your peaceful lives with one last selfish request. _Wheeze. Wheeze._ Veena, show them what you have prepared."

"At once, my love." The angelic Queen replied. Then with a wave her hands, a pair of glowing orbs appeared before her children. Seconds later, the spheres exploded; revealing a pair of floating swords. One of silver and white diamond. The other of gold and aquamarine.

The Swords of Power and Protection.

"I… I don't understand." Angela said confusedly "Mother, what's going on?"

"Angela, your father has dedicated the last forty-five years of his life to defending not only our own Kingdom, but also my people on Etheria and anyone else who has come seeking his aid. But now, as the Heirs of Clan Grayskull, that task must fall to the two of you."

"_What_?" the plump princess exclaimed. "But Mother, I'm a Princess! I don't fight! I bake pies and cakes and throw wonderful dinner parties!"

"She has a point." Her brother chimed in. "I've only read about battles in books. And the only weapons she's ever touched are a knife and fork. We're not warriors."

"Which is exactly why it must be you." King Grayskull interjected, pausing yet again to cough. "A warrior knows only of war and will fight for whatever cause is available. But you and your sister know the value of peace, so you will be willing to fight to preserve it."

"But… But still, we're not fighters." Angela said sadly. "We're not worthy of…"

"**_Nonsense!_**" their father roared, causing him to go into another violent coughing fit. "You two are the only ones worthy of this task. Atticus, it is true that you have never once picked up a sword, but you have read more tomes than any other man I have ever met. And not just from our own library, but from all over Eternia. Because you wish to understand the ways of all people and help them understand each other. And as for you, my sweet Angela, both I and your husband have always spoiled you shamelessly, and yet you have never once lost your sense of compassion. You always put the needs of others before yourself and you strive to bring happiness to others in any way you can. No, you two are most definitely not warriors, but I believe, with these swords, you can become heroes."

Grayskull fell into another fit of coughing and wheezing, so his Queen had to takeover from there.

"What your Father means to say is that you are fit to defend our worlds, because you will always seek a peaceful resolution first." Their mother explained before gesturing towards the floating swords. "And with these, you will have the power to fight when that is no longer possible."

"But they're just swords." Atticus agued. "We don't even know how to use them."

"They are more than just swords, my son. They are keys. Keys to unlock the power buried deep within you and your sister. The power born from your Father and I's first union. Your true potential."

"You… You mean these swords can make us as power as Father?" the plump Princess asked tentatively.

"Indeed they can." Their Father answered, apparently catching his second wind. "But they will only work for the two of you. And only if you freely accept them. There is no one else I can trust with this great responsibility, but the choice must be yours."

After that, the two younger royals fell silent. Adora couldn't tell what was going through their minds, but their faces seemed to swap emotions every other second. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they settled on looks of determination and stepped forward.

"Alright Father, I accept this burden." Said Atticus as he took hold of the white diamond sword.

"And I as well." Said Angela, taking the aquamarine blade. "So… how does this work?"

The old King smiled as best he could and explained.

"Simply raise your swords and swear an oath. Nothing too complicated, just speak plainly and from the heart. Declare your willingness to accept this power and promise to uphold the honor of Clan Grayskull."

The two stood in silence once again as they searched their hearts for just the right words. But after a few minutes they seemed to find the ones that fit. And so they raised their swords and shouted.

"By the Power of Grayskull!"

"For the Honor of Grayskull!"

Suddenly the two were enveloped in a familiar flash of light and sound effects. Their bodies changed. His grew. Hers shrunk. And within seconds they were transformed into two beings our own group knew all too well.

"And thus two new heroes were born." Said the Sorceress dramatically. "The first He-Man and the first She-Ra."

XXX

(_A split second later_)

After bearing witness to that historic event, the group was thrown into another montage of stills; once again narrated by the Sorceress and Shadow Weaver.

"And so it was that the great King Grayskull died and his children took on his sacred duty." The dark witch began. "Princess Angela and her husband went to Etheria to become the Hok's defender, while her brother Prince Atticus remained on Eternia to protect his homeland. And when they too grew old and weary, they passed the responsibility onto their children, who then passed it onto their children. And so on, and so on, and so on."

"And as the years passed, the relationship between our two worlds began to change." The ancient goddess took over. "With Queen Veena and her descendants acting as a bridge between themselves and the Eternians, the Hok slowly lost their mistrust of outsiders and even began trading with their new neighbors."

"Trading led to the construction of teleportation hubs, which facilitated travel between the two worlds." Shadow Weaver took over again. "And in time, they even allowed people to immigrate to Etheria, which helped considerably with Eternia's overpopulation problem."

"And before long, the Hok even began interbreeding with other species, creating powerful hybrids with phenomenal mystic powers." The Sorceress explained. "On Etheria, several of these blended families managed to use their powers to rise through the ranks and become royalty. While on Eternia, those with superior Hok genes banded together to form the Order of Mystics; which worked in tandem with Clan Grayskull protecting the innocent."

"And so our two worlds entered an era of peace and prosperity that lasted for centuries." The dark witch jumped in again to deliver the closing line. "Until one day…"

XXX

(_Another split second later_)

With the montage completed, the group once again found themselves in a new scene. This time they were in what appeared to be large dinning hall. Judging from the architecture, which seemed to focus heavily on rams for some reason, they were not in Castle Grayskull. And judging from the amount of people who were eating, drinking, and dancing, they had landed in the midst of some kind of party.

"Where… and when are we?" Adam asked inquisitively.

"This is the great feasting hall of Zalesia, roughly one thousand years ago." The Sorceress replied. "Today is the anniversary of the first He-Man and She-Ra's ascension, and all across our two worlds people are celebrating the occasion with feasting and song."

Zalesia. The young Prince remembered that name from his history lessons. It was a once powerful Kingdom of sorcerers that had been wiped out in a single night, along with many others, during the Great Separation. He suddenly had a very bad feeling about this.

Just then, his thoughts were derailed by a blast of loud, obnoxious laughter. A few feet away, sitting at the main table in the back of the hall, was a large muscular man with chestnut hair and bronze armor. His demeanor was, for lack of a nicer word, quite boorish; for in between laughing like a fool with his feet on the table, he was stuffing his face with meat, guzzling down ale and groping the posterior of every attractive woman who walked past him. Whoever he was, he was a pig.

"And that, unfortunately, is your ancestor King Ro. The current He-Man." Shadow Weaver explained, apparently sensing the twins' mutual disgust.

"I'm related to _him_?" Adora asked. "Gross."

But before either of the narrators could reply, a new figure appeared on the scene. This one looking much more regal and dignified than their ancestor. He was tall and lean and dressed in the most magnificent robes of silver and royal purple. He had long lavender hair that was tied in a ponytail and a face that was, admittedly, quite handsome. In short, he looked exactly how a King should look.

"Greetings, King Ro." Said the regal fellow in a gentlemanly tone. "I trust you are enjoying my hospitality."

"Oh most definitely, King Nikolas." The boorish King replied jovially. "I haven't eaten a meal this fine in weeks. My compliments to your chef."

"Yes, I'll be sure to pass on your regards. Tell me, will your wife be joining us this evening?"

"Who? Mireille? No, she didn't want to come. Said she was sick." Ro answered, pausing briefly to take another bite from his mutton joint. "Or she's sad about something. I don't know. Up to a certain point I just stop listening."

"Hmmm… I see." Nikolas replied, not even attempting to hide the disapproval in his voice. "I must say, I'm surprised to see you in such high spirits. Considering what happened last week."

"What? You mean Salinas? Yes, such a terrible tragedy. Breaks my heart, but I got there as quickly as I could. Not even I can be everywhere at once."

"I suppose that is true." The handsome King admitted. "But you know, I actually spoke with one of the survivors, and he said that you'd arrived in plenty of time to help divert the lava, but that you left them all to burn after the village chief refused to let you have sex with his daughter."

"_Pfft_. Well of course he said that. He was obviously bitter about me not getting there in time. So he wanted to ruin my reputation with baseless rumors."

"Yes, a number of my fellow Mystics arrived at the same conclusion. But you know, there have been a lot of rumors about you lately. Tales of soliciting sexual favors, public drunkenness, destruction of property…"

"Lies. All lies." Ro said dismissively, before his expression turned uncharacteristically serious. "And even if by some chance there were any truth to these claims, what could you and your fellow Mystics do about it? _I'm_ one of the heirs of Clan Grayskull. _I'm_ the He-Man. _You_ need me."

"Yes, I suppose we do." King Nikolas said derisively before abruptly changing the subject. "By the way, where is your Cousin? I was told she would be coming as well."

"Mara? Oh she'll be along later. You know her, always working." The boorish King answered. "Oh wait, there she is."

Instinctively, the group all turned to where Ro was pointing and, sure enough, there she was. The last She-Ra before Adora. And what a lovely thing she was too; especially with that cute ponytail. But not nearly as lovely as her female companion; an orange skinned feline woman with curiously mismatched eyes.

"I say, who is that woman she's with?" asked King Nikolas confusedly.

"Must be her friend Jade. She's told me about her before." Ro replied casually. "You know, I don't think I'll ever understand Mara. I mean, a pretty girl like her should've been able to find a date."

Just then, the entire room fell silent. The band stopped playing and the dancers stopped dancing. Everyone was frozen in shock; their eyes wide with disbelief or some cases disgust. At first Adam couldn't imagine what could've possibly broken up such a lively party. But then he followed everyone's gaze and he instantly understood.

Mara and her 'friend' were kissing.

Deeply.

"Oh… dear."

"Oh dear, indeed." Said Shadow Weaver, sounding just as uneasy. "I'm afraid on Eternia, in this age, certain ideas, certain passions, were just not tolerated."

The scene changed abruptly and the group suddenly found themselves in some kind of small study. Ro and Mara were in there too; arguing, for obvious reasons.

"What were you thinking!" the boorish King yelled at his cousin. "Do you have any idea what you've done!"

"I don't see what the big deal is." The former She-Ra scoffed at the accusation. "I thought public displays of affection were alright on Eternia."

"Don't give me that! You knew exactly what you were doing! You disgraced yourself and disrupted a lovely party just so you could make some kind of political statement for Etheria's perverse… _girl-love movement_!"

"I did no such thing! I was merely sharing a tender moment with the person I love!"

"Oh, you don't even know what love is!"

"_I_ don't know what love is?"

"That's right! Love is meant to be between a man and a woman! Not two men! Not two women! End of description! End of discussion! I'm right! You're disgusting!"

"_I'm_ disgusting? _You're_ calling _me_ disgusting? _You_? With _your_ table manners?"

"I don't even know why I'm discussing this with you! This is precisely why women should not be allowed to govern a planet! It leads to this kind of lunacy!"

"Well if that's how you feel, maybe I should just go back to my planet of lunacy and never return to your planet of cavemen!"

"Fine by me! At least over there you can't disgrace our family!"

"If anyone's disgracing our family, it's you! You drunken, philandering lout!"

"Oh yeah, well you're a… a… a **_whore_**!"

And on that… _pleasant_ note, Mara stormed out of the room in a huff. Leaving her cousin, who was suddenly seeming much less sure of himself, alone with his thoughts.

"Wow… that was just… wow." Said Swift Wind, echoing the feelings everyone else in the group. "Kinda wish I hadn't seen that."

"Me too." Orko added glumly.

"So that was it?" Adora asked, sounding particularly despondent. "That's what drove Mara to send Etheria into Despondos? An argument?"

Adam wanted desperately to hold his sister's hand; just to let her know that everything was going to be alright. But alas, neither of them had hands at the moment.

"Eh… No exactly…" Shadow Weaver answered awkwardly; trigging yet another scene change.

This time they found themselves in a different room. A bedroom, from what little they could see of it, for it was all but pitch black.

Just then, they heard a knock on some unseen door.

"Hello… Mara?" said the voice of Ro, sounding 'deflated' for lack of a better word. "Mara, I know you're in there. Will you please just talk to me?"

Nobody answered, for a variety obvious reasons.

"Look, I… I know what I said was… but I didn't mean it. I don't really want you to go away forever." He pleaded, rather pitifully. "Please, just come out and we can talk about this."

Once again there was no answer. So Ro, apparently, decided this was just cause to barge in uninvited.

_Creak_.

Went the door as the boorish King forced his way into the darkened room. Even with the light from the hall it was still difficult to see, but both he and the group could just barely make out something moving in the shadows.

"Mara? Mara is that you?" Ro asked, drawing his Sword just in case it wasn't. "Mara, I know you're mad at me, but this isn't funny."

Suddenly, the lights came on, and the boorish King was met with a most alarming sight. There on the bed was Mara's 'friend' Jade; her face frozen in terror and a gaping hole torn right into her chest.

"Amusing, isn't it?" said a familiar voice from somewhere close by. "With a face like this, even a lesbian can't resist letting me into her bedroom."

From out of the shadows stepped King Nikolas; a sinister smirk on his lips and a bloody sword in his right hand.

"King Nikolas?" asked Ro, sounding utterly horrified. "What… What have you done?"

"No, my friend. The real question is, what have _you_ done."

And without another word, the murderous monarch vanished in a puff of smoke; a puff that, undenounced to Ro, stained his clothes and sword with streaks of red.

"Jade." Called Mara's voice from out in the hall. "Come on, grab your things. We have to…"

But the words died in her throat the second she stepped through the door. Her beloved Jade was lying motionless on the bed with a hole in her chest, while her brutish, homophobic cousin was standing over her lifeless form covered in blood. It didn't take a genius to tell what she was thinking.

The fear and sadness in Mara's eyes quickly turned to rage and hatred. She ground her teeth with fury as she drew her Sword of Protection.

"Mara, please, it's not what you think!" Ro pleaded, clearly sensing her intent.

But alas, it fell on deaf ears.

"**_YOU BASTARD!_**"

And then everything went black.

End Notes:

Three or four more chapters and I think I'll have reached a good stopping place.

Until then, thanks for reading and see you next time.

Peace.


	14. Chapter 13: The Defect

More flashbacks! Anyway, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Enjoy.

Chapter 13: The Defect

(_Right where we left off_)

In what could only be described as a supreme act of mercy, the group was spared from having to witness the gruesome murder of King Ro at the hands of his cousin Mara. Instead they were treated to another montage of stills depicting what came after.

"Driven mad by King Nikolas' deception, Mara returned to Etheria covered in her cousin's blood." Shadow Weaver explained almost mournfully. "I cannot begin to imagine what was going through her tortured mind at the time, but whatever it was, it drove her to attack the Central Hub of Etheria's Teleportation Network. Once there, she drove her Sword into the power core and channeled her own energy directly into it. This caused a massive overload that not only displaced our world from the wider Universe, but also destroyed much of the planet and Mara herself."

Adora understood. The love of her life had been murdered, supposedly because of Eternia's backwards views on sexuality. In her mind, she had been doing what was best for her people. Sending them far away from the monsters who threatened their way of life. Oh, how her heart ached for poor Mara. To have died the victim of such a cruel trick. Which raised a very important question.

"What happened to Nikolas?" she asked bluntly.

Surprisingly, it was Adam who answered.

"The Kingdom of Zalesia was on the side of Eternia now known as the Dark Hemisphere." He explained, apparently sensing his twin's need for closure. "When the wave of negative energy struck, which I presume was unleashed by Mara sending Etheria into Despondos, everyone and everything on that side was either killed instantly or horribly mutated. Either way, I imagine his end was unpleasant."

This information made Adora feel a bit better, but somehow it just wasn't enough. Nikolas deserved so much worse for what he'd done; at least in her opinion.

"Thank you." She said to her brother before turning back to the narrators. "So what happened next?"

"Well, as I'm sure you can imagine, with half the planet infected with dark energy, Eternia was thrown into total chaos." The Sorceress replied. "Literally thousands of mutant horrors were unleashed upon the defenseless denizens of the Light Hemisphere. Serpintaurs, Shadow Beasts, Hydra Worms, Basilisks, Dullahounds, Viper Eels. Not to mention over two dozen strains of undead."

"Good Lord." The young Heroine said, sounding utterly horrified.

"Indeed. The surviving Mystics did what they could to contain the situation, but it was a never-ending battle. Dozens of Kingdoms fell, Grayskull being one of the first. Fortunately, Ro's wife survived and had gotten pregnant shortly before his death, so the bloodline continued. But it would be many centuries before the time was right for a new He-Man to emerge."

"And to make matters worse, the Mystics were running themselves ragged." Shadow Weaver took over. "With new threats arising every hour, they had almost no time for anything else; least of all training their successors. So, realizing that Eternia would be lost without them, they took drastic measures."

"Drastic how?" Adam asked tentatively.

"They conducted countless experiments on themselves. Augmented their bodies with whatever Hok technology they could find. Several members died in the process, but those that survived were able to achieve a sort of pseudo immortality. Which was a great boon to their task of restoring order to Eternia."

"It took over two hundred years, but the Mystics managed to repel the invading monsters and ghouls back to the Dark Hemisphere. And to ensure that these horrors could never return, they created an impenetrable barrier to separate the two halves; a barrier that would come to be known as the Mystic Wall." The Sorceress explained, taking over again. "Unfortunately, by then almost all records of Eternia's history before the Great Separation had been lost and the Mystics had become like gods in the minds of the people. So instead of trying to restore the old order, the Mystics, now known as the Council of Elders, assumed control of the Light Hemisphere until such a time that the He-Man could be revived."

"And for the most part, they did a pretty good job." The shadow wraith jumped in again. "Many Kingdoms were restored, new laws were passed, and they worked behind the scenes to prepare for Clan Grayskull's return to power. The only mistake they made came during the third century of their rule, when they began banishing condemned criminals to the Dark Hemisphere. A practice they would come to regret."

"But you're getting ahead of yourself, dear." The ancient goddess jumped back in. "Let us first examine some more recent history."

XXX

(_Half a second later_)

For what felt like the billionth time, the group was thrown into another new scene. This time they were on what appeared to be the bridge of some kind of high-tech spaceship. Despite never having been on one herself, Adora knew this to be a spaceship, because she could see the stars outside the massive window at the front of the room; along with an overhead view of a planet she assumed to be Eternia.

All along the walls were computer terminals manned by people in strange looking uniforms with a familiar looking crest emblazoned on their backs; the symbol of the Horde.

"When and where are we now?" the young Heroine asked her unseen narrators.

"This is the bridge of the H.S.S. Manticore; the pride of the Imperial Navy." Shadow Weaver began. "And that, as I'm sure you've all guessed, is Eternia; roughly fifty years ago."

"Admiral on deck!" someone shouted from behind, causing everyone to stand up and salute.

From a door on the opposite end of the room, the 'Admiral' walked in. Unsurprisingly, at least from Adora's perspective, it was Hordak; the genuine article this time. Albeit, he looked much younger and, for lack of a better word, healthier than he did in the propaganda posters. Which made sense, since this was taking place over five decades ago.

"So, that's him, eh?" Adam asked his twin knowingly. "That's Hordak?"

"Yeah, that's him." She replied bitterly.

"Lord Admiral!" said some nameless foot soldier, diverting everyone's attention back to the flashback. "The other ships are in position, and the Force Captains are hailing you."

"Excellent." The younger Hordak said with a satisfied smirk. "Bring them on screen."

A few seconds later, four floating holographic screens appeared before the younger Hordak; each one depicting a different, strange, presumably alien creature.

The first reminded Adora of a Force Captain she knew from present day; Grizzlor or something like that. Only this one was much more savage looking. His hair was wild and unkempt. His eyes were like fiery embers. And his fangs were so big that they protruded from his mouth even when it was closed.

The second was a grotesque amphibian-like creature with piercing yellow eyes. To Adora's mind, he looked like a mix between a fanged toad and a humanoid eel. An unusual comparison, I know, but an accurate one nonetheless.

The third was by far the strangest of them all. For it was a short, gangly, red-faced creature with bulging yellow eyes, large fangs, and positively enormous ears.

The last one, by comparison, was the plainest of the group. For he appeared to be some kind of living statue carved out of solid rock.

"Force Captain Grizzlor Reporting!"

"Force Captain Leech Reporting!"

"_Force Captain Mantenna Reporting!_"

"Force Captain Callix Reporting!"

The four warriors declared one by one, each offering their commanding officer a respectful salute.

"At ease." Hordak said to his men before adding. "Force Captains, are your soldiers armed and ready?"

"My men are always ready for battle." Grizzlor boasted. "This world will drown in its own blood."

"Your enthusiasm is commendable. But save it for the enemy." The 'Admiral' said, sounding much more casual and relaxed than the young Heroine had ever imagined.

"_Sir, I think something might be interfering with our scanners._" Mantenna spoke up concernedly. "_These readings are inconsistent with our current data on Terracon Prime._"

"I assure you, your scanners are fine." Hordak reassured his underling. "The readings are inconsistent because this isn't Terracon Prime. It's Eternia."

Upon hearing this, three of the four Force Captains began to panic.

"Eternia!" Callix exclaimed. "But Lord Admiral! The law! Horde Prime forbids…"

"I know what my brother forbids!" Hordak shouted, rattling the walls of his ship, before calming himself down. "But he is mistaken, as he is with many things. My brother avoids this planet because it was the site of our ancestor's greatest failure and he fears the wrath of King Grayskull's descendants. But I am not bound by such childish superstitions. I am not afraid of ghosts or primitive blood feuds. I shall conquer this world in his name, by myself if I must, and present it to him on a silver plate."

"But, Sir. The Prime is very strict about these things." Said Leech in the most respectful way possible. "Even if we succeed…"

"_If_?" the Admiral asked incredulously. "What is this talk of _if_? Look at your scanners! They don't have one piece of technology higher than Level 5! Look out your windows! Nearly half the planet has been devastated by some unknown disaster! This world is ripe for the picking! And _when_ we conquer it, we will be welcomed back to the Empire as heroes! That is, _if_ you will help me."

At first, the four Force Captains said nothing. Each one appeared to be deep in thought, except for Grizzlor, who just looked really annoyed and impatient; clearly he had already made up his mind. Admittedly, this younger version of Hordak was quite the charismatic speaker.

"As soldiers, we are honor bound to obey you, Lord Admiral. Even if we disagree with your plans." Callix said, seemingly speaking for the others. "But, as citizens of the Empire, we have a duty to report this kind of treasonous behavior directly to Horde Prime; lest we be labeled traitors ourselves."

"However," Leech interjected. "If victory truly is as assured as you claim, I suppose we could… wait a bit before we contact him."

"A wise decision." The Admiral replied with a cunning smirk. "And you needn't worry about my brother. Our mission on Terracon Prime called for radio silence. The Homeworld isn't expecting to hear from us for several months, and we'll have conquered this pitiful rock in less than three. Now, if there are no further protests, Force Captain Leech, prepare the ground assault."

XXX

(_0.237 Seconds Later_)

If you've been paying attention then you already know what came next; a montage of stills narrated by our two lovely hosts.

"And Hordak was correct, his campaign against Eternia lasted less than three months; a total of sixty-six days to be precise." The Sorceress explained. "However, things did not go exactly as he envisioned. For although the Horde had superior numbers and technology, Eternia has Miro."

Before their eyes flashed a still image of a great and noble warrior dressed in glorious golden armor. He was tall and muscular with flowing white hair that ran down to his shoulders and a beard to match. His right eye was midnight blue while his left was concealed beneath an ornate eyepatch. In his hand he held a golden spear with a sapphire like blade. In short, he was a most majestic sight to behold.

"Miro?" Adora asked, almost desperate to know more about this magnificent figure.

"Yes, Miro. Captain of the Elder Guard. The greatest strategic mind Eternia has ever known. And your Grandfather."

Suddenly, the young Heroine felt a surge of pride well up in her chest. After witnessing the shameful behavior of her ancestor Ro, it was a great relief to know that she still came from good stock.

"So… my, uh… our grandfather defeated the Horde?" she asked, with a strange sort of quiet exhilaration.

"Indeed, child." Shadow Weaver took over. "Captain Miro was a clever old fox. And for sixty-five days he made fools of Hodak and his forces."

What followed was a delightful montage of their Grandfather's antics. They saw Miro and his men wreaking havoc on Horde encampments with flash bombs and bee hives. They saw Eternian soldiers being chased by Horde troopers, only for the latter to be led into snare traps, oil slicks and pitfalls. They even saw whole platoons stopping to bathe in a river, only for their clothes and weapons to be stolen. It was all rather humorous.

"_HA_! That's showing him, Grandpa!" Adam cheered as he watched Miro incapacitate the grotesque Force Captain Leech with some kind of pepper bomb.

Adora couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, yes, it was all very amusing." The Sorceress jumped back in. "But on the sixty-fifth day, Miro decided that he'd grown bored of simply humiliating the invading Horde. So on the sixty-sixth day, he launched a full-scale attack on their remaining bases; driving them off the planet with their tails tucked between their legs."

XXX

(_One half second later_)

Once more, the group found themselves on the bridge of the Manticore, only this time the window was facing directly into space; presumably because they were retreating.

The main door opened and Hordak entered, only this time, thanks to the painful looking wound in his side, which Adora liked to think was caused by her Grandfather's spear, he had to be helped to his chair by some nameless underling. But once this bit of necessary degradation was complete and the helper had been shooed away, the Admiral seemed to regain a bit of his composure.

"Status report, Ensign." He said to one of his flunkies on a terminal.

"Not good, Sir." Said flunky replied. "Ours is the only ship still functioning. Somehow the Eternians sabotaged the other four. So over 80% of our forces are stranded."

"I already know that! But what about my Force Captains? Did any of them make it aboard?"

"I'm checking now, Sir. It seems Force Captains Grizzlor and Callix are in the medical bay, but they've sustained heavy injuries. No word on Force Captains Leech and Mantenna. And… hold on… I've just received an update. Force Captain Callix is dead."

"_Damn it!_" Hordak roared like a wounded animal; which he essentially was at this point. "I can't believe I was bested by a bunch of primitives. Curse you, Miro! Curse you and all your descendants!"

Just then, one of the monitors turned bright orange and started making a weird clicking sound.

"Uh… Sir. I'm getting some unusual readings over here." Said the technician manning said monitor. "I think we might be nearing some sort of spatial anomaly."

"That is the least of our problems!" the Admiral spat back. "When Horde Prime finds out…"

"Finds out what?"

Adora felt a sudden chill come over her as a voice that was both Hodak's and yet not Hodak's pierced the air. Then, all of the terminals turned bright red and a figure appeared on the main screen. It was a tall, lean, chalk white creature with four piercing green eyes; three on one side, interestingly enough. Aside from its' face, it seemed almost entirely robotic; even its' hair. The young Heroine was still a little lacking in context, but she understood enough to realize who this must be.

This was Horde Prime.

"My… M-M-My Lord…" Hodak stammered. "I can explain."

"Explain what?" Horde Prime replied coldly. "That you disobeyed my direct orders. That you coerced four promising young Force Captains into committing high treason. That you wasted time, resources and countless lives trying to conquer a planet that I declared off-limits. _Which you didn't even do!_"

"But, Your Immanence. I was only…"

"_Silence_!" the icy Emperor barked venomously. "Do you know _why_ I declared this planet off-limits? Because, as it is at the center of the universe, whatever happens on Eternia affects the rest of the universe! And since your little boondoggle began, my communicators have been ringing off the hook! Rebel cells that had been beaten into submission are suddenly getting their second wind! New pockets of resistance are popping up like weeds! Twelve planets that have been loyal for centuries are suddenly declaring their independence! My plans for the universe have been set back by at least three hundred years, _and it is all __**your fault**__!_"

Now this was interesting. It reminded Adora of when Entrapta had explained how a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of Etheria could stir up a wind storm on the other side. But if what he said was true and events here really did affect the rest of the universe, then what sort of chaos was unleashed when Etheria was sent to Despondos or when Eternia was split in two?

"You are an even greater failure than I imagined!" Horde Prime spat, bringing the young Heroine out of her thoughts. "But fear not, Little Brother. For even failures have value, so long as you can learn from them. And you have taught me a great deal. You have taught me that I am too merciful!"

Just then, some sort of alarm went off and the technicians all started panicking.

"Lord Admiral!" one of them called out. "Someone's hacked our systems! The Warp Drives are going critical!"

"When I learned of your defect, I felt sorry for you. So I gave you the Terracon Prime assignment to spare you the shame of being recycled. I gave you the opportunity to die with honor and be remembered as a hero, when what I should've done was execute you on sight! A mistake I will never make again!"

And with that, the image of Horde Prime vanished from the screen.

All around him, alarms blared and underlings panicked, but Hordak paid them no mind. Clearly his brother's words had cut deep. So much so that instead of panicking or attempting to flee for his life, he just sat there, sighed, closed his eyes and let the tears run down his cheeks.

**_KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!_**

End Notes:

Writing these flashbacks is so much fun.

I hope you're enjoying them.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter.

Peace.


	15. Chapter 14: The Face of Evil

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Enjoy.

Chapter 14: The Face of Evil

(_Right where we left off_)

To the collective surprise of everyone in the group, this time they were not thrown into another montage of stills, but into a battlefield. All around them swords were clashing, blasters were blasting, and guys were being thrown at other guys. It was pure pandemonium.

"Behold children, the Hall of Wisdom, roughly twenty-six years ago." The Sorceress began dramatically. She then went on to explain the events that had led up to this madcap melee, but Adam chose not to listen. He knew this story all too well. Everyone on Eternia did.

On this day, twenty-six years ago, an evil warrior known as Keldor the Treacherous tore down the Mystic Wall and unleashed thousands of banished warlords, barbarian raiders and dark sorcerers upon the Light Hemisphere; beginning the five year period of chaos known as the Great Unrest.

But also on this day, seven warriors from all across Eternia banded together to stem this tide of madness.

Seven warriors that would come to be known as the Masters of the Universe.

While the Sorceress continued to prattle on to his sister, Prince Adam decided to have a little fun. So he made a game of seeing how many OG Masters and Proto-Outcasts he could identify.

First there was his father, then known as Captain Randor, squaring off against Keldor, who from this day forward would be known as Skeletor, on some sort of marble staircase. While down below, Man-At-Arms, pre-cybernetic enhancements, and a large burly gentleman with a red beard were fighting younger versions of Beast Man and Mer-Man. The young Prince had never seen his future mentor's battle companion before, but surmised that it must be his older brother Malcom; who had unfortunately died three months before he was born.

Elsewhere, Mekaneck was facing off against a brutish, blue skinned warrior who upon further inspection appeared to be a younger, less grotesque version of Trap Jaw; clearly this was before he volunteered to be Tri-Klops' guinea pig.

Speaking of whom, he didn't see the Outcast's resident mad scientist amidst the chaos. Must not 've joined yet. Which made sense, both he and Evil-Lyn were a lot younger than most of the other members he knew.

Anyway, over to his left Adam saw Man-E-Faces going toe-to-toe with some shinobi warrior he'd never seen before. His face and body were almost completely covered in black ninja gear, but the little bit of light blue skin visible around his eyes suggested that he was from Anwat Gar; meaning that this guy was the real deal and not just some pretender in a costume.

Not too far away from them, Ram Man was up against two more unknown goons. One was a muscly guy in spikey armor. The other was a blueish grey reptilian with oversized fangs. Neither of them looked very smart. Skeletor probably ended up using them for cannon fodder.

Last but not least there was Stratos who was facing off against… wait… what the hell?

No, it couldn't be.

But it was.

He looked a lot younger, like maybe in his late teens, and he was wearing armor instead of a suit, but there was no mistaking it.

And yet somehow it was still too hard to believe.

Webstor.

Chula's smart mouthed secretary.

He used to be an Outcast?

_He_ used to work for Skeletor?

"So… so that's really him?" Adora asked, shaking Adam out of his thoughts.

"Yes, child. That's him." The Sorceress answered. "A fair bit younger than he is now, but that's him. That's your Father."

Ah… now he understood. This was her first time seeing her Father; outside of that old painting. And it was during one of his greatest moments; the battle that led to his ascension to King of Eternia. Having grown up without a family, only to find out her dad is basically a superhero must've been pretty awesome. Which kinda made Adam feel bad for taking it for granted.

Oh, wait. The big climax was about to start.

Their dad had just knocked the blades out of Keldor's hands and currently had his own sword aimed for the villain's throat.

"It's over, Keldor." The future King said heroically. "You are beaten. Surrender now and I can promise you a lighter sentence."

"Oh, and who shall convict me, Randor?" the rogue replied. "The Elders are gone. The Mystic Wall is destroyed. Chaos reigns. And the only law is Survival of the Fittest. You may have won this battle, but you have lost everything else! Victory is mine! **_MWRUHAHAHAHAHA_**!"

_Ugh_… Even thirty years ago, he was such a ham.

"As long as I draw breath, I will continue to uphold the laws of the Elders."

"Then breathe no more!"

Within the span of several seconds, Keldor pulled a small glass vial from off his belt and threw it at Randor, who then blocked it with his retractable wrist mounted shield, causing it to break and release its contents. Then, acting purely on reflex, the future King tossed said shield aside, causing some of the mysterious green liquid to splash off and hit Keldor right in the face.

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!_**" the villain screamed as the acid burned his skin.

"As I was saying," said Randor, clearly undeterred by the rogue's self-inflicted injury. "I hereby arrest you in the name of…"

"**_MY FACE!_**" Keldor howled in agony as he stumbled around blindly; hot steam rising from his melting flesh.

Unable to see where he was going, the dark lord walked right off the edge of the staircase and fell about twenty feet before being caught by Webstor.

"Keldor's down!" the young Arachna shouted as he cradled his master in his arms like a bride. "_Retreat!_"

Not needing to be told twice, the other Outcasts immediately dropped whatever they were doing and started running for the nearest exist. Naturally, the Proto-Masters gave chase, all except for Randor, who hung back with a sad, almost regretful expression.

"But Keldor had been mistaken." The Sorceress spoke up. "The Elders were not gone. They merely ascended to a higher plane of existence. In Randor, they had found a worthy successor and sire for the next He-Man. So they allowed Eternia to think they had died and left it in your Father's capable hands."

"But while Good was trying to restore order, Evil was making preparations of its' own." Shadow Weaver added; triggering yet another scene transition.

XXX

(_0.5 seconds later_)

Having already been through this at least a dozen times, Adora wasn't too surprised to suddenly find herself in some kind of ancient ruin.

What surprised her was the fact that, amidst the crumbling statues and ruined cisterns, there was a little girl playing in the sand. She couldn't have been more than six or seven years old, and admittedly she was pretty cute with her little lavender pigtails and raggy purple dress. But she just seemed so out of place here.

"Daddy!" she called out in a high squeaky voice. Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

"Yes, Precious?" a mysterious voice answered.

Suddenly, a tall ghoulish figure emerged from the shadows. His body was almost completely concealed by his dark purple robes, save for his hands, which were long, boney and pale, and his face, which was… not there.

No, I'm not kidding. This man, whoever or whatever he was, had no face. No eyes, no nose, not even a mouth. Just a blank wall of flesh sitting atop his shoulders.

Was this thing even alive?

"Look, Daddy! I made a snake!" the little girl said cheerily as she pointed to the crude sculpture she'd just made in the sand.

"Oh, that's just lovely, Evelyn." The faceless creature said approvingly as he proceeded to affectionately tussle the child's hair. "Such a talented little artist you are, my pretty, pretty princess."

Under normal circumstances, such a scene might have been heartwarming, but to Adora it was just bizarre. Seeing this adorable little girl interacting with a faceless monster like it was normal; even calling it 'Daddy'. And then there was the monster itself. She couldn't quite place it, but there was something strangely familiar about its voice.

Just then, the air was shattered by some sort of loud **_boom_**. At the far end of the room, a large stone door had opened and through it came too familiar figures. One was the man her father had been fighting in the last scene. Keldor, or something like that. Only now he appeared to be on death's doorstep. He was so weak he had to have one of his minions prop him up like a scarecrow. His face was obscured by his hood, but she could see steam rising from beneath it. Clearly this had happened immediately after his attack on the Hall of Wisdom.

The other, the aforementioned minion, was a young spider man who looked suspiciously like the secretary they'd met in Chulatown. But then a lot of those Spiders had looked alike, at least from her perspective.

Anyway, once the two newcomers were standing before the faceless man and his… 'daughter', the Spider released his master, allowing him to fall on his hands and knees.

"So… how did it go?" the ghoulish figure asked sarcastically.

"I… I'm dying…" Keldor replied with labored breath.

"I can see that. I warned you about using Dullahound Venom. But no, you just had to be Mr. Dramatic."

"Please… Please help me."

"_Ewww_~" exclaimed the little girl, having just snuck a peek under Keldor's hood. "Your face is all melty! Daddy, can I have an ice cream?"

"Later, Darling." 'Daddy' replied dismissively, before shifting his focus back on the dying man. "Anyway, I don't know what you expect me to do about it? I told you, Dullahound Venom is extremely dangerous. Not only does it dissolve living tissue, it infects its victims with a necromantic virus. In another few hours you'll be nothing but a mindless, shambling Undead."

"_NO_!" Keldor wailed, quite pathetically. "It can't end this way! I can't be denied my revenge! There must be something you can do! Anything! Please, Master Nikolas!"

Realization struck Adora like a falling tree trunk.

Nikolas?

As in _King_ Nikolas?

As in the man who drove Mara to madness by murdering her lover and framing her cousin?

He was still alive?

Or at least he had been almost thirty years ago.

But how?

How could he still be alive after a thousand years?

That's when she remembered her brother's words. The Negative Energy had mutated him into some sort of faceless, undead ghoul. But if that was the case, then how could he have a daughter that looked so normal?

On second thought, she probably didn't want to know.

"Don't beg, Keldor. It makes me not like you." Nikolas said derisively. "But… there may be something I can do. Evelyn, go fetch Daddy's special balm."

"Okay!" the little girl replied happily before scurrying off.

"So… I don't believe we've been properly introduced." The faceless man said to the Spider. "I'm Nikolas."

"I am aware of who you are, Your Immanence." Said Spider replied bluntly. "I am Webstor. Lord Keldor's Second-in-command."

"Oh my~ That's quite a tittle for someone so young. Keldor must be very fond of you."

"Lord Keldor recognizes my skills. When it comes to espionage, sabotage or larceny, I simply cannot be matched."

"Is that right?"

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!_**" Keldor screamed in agony as he writhed in the sand like a wounded adder; apparently his condition was getting worse.

"Oh my~" Nikolas said jokingly before turning back to Webstor. "If my daughter doesn't show up soon, you might be getting a promotion."

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Evelyn cried out excitedly as she skipped back onto the scene; a flask full of purple liquid in hand. "I got the balm~ I got the balm~ I got the balm~ _WHEEEEEEEE~_"

"Very good, Precious." Nikolas said approvingly as he took the flask from his daughter. "You're Daddy's little Sunshine. Yes you are~ Yes you are~"

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!_**"

"Alright, alight, I'm coming." He said as he uncorked the flask and poured a little of the balm into his other hand. "Now, as I said before, you've been infected with a necromantic virus. I can't stop the transformation, but I can manipulate it. Alter it in such a way that you'll be able to keep your mind intact. Of course, there may be other side effects."

"I don't care!" Keldor shouted, pausing briefly to howl in pain. "No price is too great… **_AAGH!_** I must… I must have my **_revenge_**!"

"As you wish."

And with that said, Nikolas handed the bottle back to his daughter and proceeded to rub the magic balm into his palms. Within minutes, both hands were engulfed in a mystic purple flame; which somehow didn't seem to burn his skin.

"You may feel a slight pain."

Suddenly, the flames shot from the faceless man's hands and enveloped Keldor's entire body. For several minutes he screamed and flailed about in agony as his flesh was incinerated, then regrown, and then incinerated all over again. This cycle continued for what felt like hours until at last the fire abated; revealing the villain's body completely unchanged.

No, that wasn't quite true. His skin had grown slightly paler, and his fingers looked more like claws. His hood was still up, so she couldn't see his face, but somehow Adora knew that it had been altered the most.

"Feeling better now?" Nikolas asked jokingly.

Keldor breathed heavily for several moments before replying.

"Mirror…"

"Beg pardon?"

"Mirror! Get me a mirror!"

"Alright, alright, you don't have to shout."

And with that said, the faceless man materialized a small hand mirror out of thin air and handed it to the ailing rogue.

For what felt like an eternity, Keldor just stared at his reflection.

Unmoving.

Unblinking.

Or at least Adora assumed so, since she still couldn't see his face.

Suddenly, he began to laugh. Softly at first, like a light chuckle. Then, as time passed, his laughter grew louder and, for lack of a better word, crazier. Before long, the walls echoed with the sound of the villain's demented cackling.

Clearly, whatever he had seen had driven him completely mad.

Then, as if to illustrate this, Keldor violently smashed the mirror against the ground.

And all the while, sweet little Evelyn smiled from ear to ear.

End Notes:

I think I can reach a good stopping place with just two more chapters.

Fingers crossed.

Until then, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one.

Peace.


	16. Chapter 15: Vengeance is Mine

One more chapter after this and then this story goes on hiatus for a while. With that said, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel.

Chapter 15: Vengeance is Mine

(_1.23456 seconds later_)

As if to serve as a pallet cleanser after that last disturbing scene, the two narrators threw the group into yet another montage of stills.

"And thus began the five year period known as the Great Unrest." The Sorceress began. "Kingdoms were sacked. Villages burned. Every day was a new catastrophe. But compared to the two hundred years of darkness brought on by Etheria's disappearance, the Unrest was quite manageable."

"Indeed." Shadow Weaver took over. "For although the Elders had vanished, the Elder Guard was still intact. And under your Father's leadership, they along with the fledgling Masters of the Universe set about the task of taming the world's madness. And when at last this task was complete, the people of Eternia all but unanimously proclaimed him to be their new King."

"Never being one to refuse a good offer, he graciously accepted his new position and with the help of his friends and allies he worked tirelessly to rebuild Eternia from the ground up. For a time it seemed as though our world had entered a new age of peace and prosperity." The ancient goddess took over again before adopting a slightly more somber tone. "But unfortunately, it was not to last. For peace had made Randor careless."

XXX

(_Half a second later_)

Once more, our heroes found themselves in a brand-new scene. This time it was in what appeared to be a large brightly colored room. The walls were decorated with painted images of winged horses, golden deer and a man with horns playing some kind of flute. The floor, which looked to be covered in soft shag carpeting, was littered with blocks and all manner of other infantile toys. And in the far corner there was what seemed to be a changing table and diaper pail.

Clearly this was a baby's room.

Over in the corner, next to some kind of ornate chest of drawers, was a large crib. And standing over said crib, looking down at two, adorable, probably only a few month old infants, was her Mother.

Suddenly, the young Heroine felt a strange fluttering sensation inside her chest; or at least where her chest would be if she had a body. It was like what she felt when she first saw her Father fighting Keldor, but different. It was difficult to explain. But somehow, even though she knew this was only an illusion, she could almost feel the love radiating off the older woman.

That's when she began to sing.

"_Baby mine, don't you cry~ Baby mine, dry your eyes~ Rest your head close to my heart~ Never to part~ Baby of mine~_" the Queen sang so soft and sweetly that the fluttering sensation grew even more pronounced. "_Little one, when you play~ Don't you mind what they say~ Let those eyes sparkle and shine~ Never a tear~ Baby of mine~_"

Adora wanted to cry, but at the moment she had no eyes. So instead she just let the fluttering grow worse and worse until there was a light knock on the door.

_Knock._

_Knock._

_Knock._

"Come in." the Queen answered softly.

Slowly the door opened and in came a short, elderly woman with snow white hair and a maid's outfit.

"Oh, hello there, Eve." Her Mother said sweetly. "What can I do for you?"

"Begging Your Majesty's pardon, but it's time you went to bed." The old woman replied. "You're still not quite up to snuff after that scare you gave us during the delivery."

"I know, but I just wanted to stay with them until they fell asleep."

"Now, now, dearie. It's His Majesty's orders. And don't you worry one bit about the wee ones. I'll watch over them tonight. It's what you pay me for, after all."

"Well… alright. I suppose I am a little tired." The Queen admitted before turning around to kiss her children on the foreheads. "Goodnight, my lovelies."

And with that said, she quietly made her way out of the room; pausing for only a moment to talk to the nursemaid.

"Goodnight, Eve."

"And goodnight to you too, dearie."

And then she was gone.

At first, the old nursemaid just stood where she was, as if waiting for something to happen. Then after several minutes she smiled and said,

"Alright, the coast is clear."

Suddenly, there was a series of sickening cracks. The old woman's body began to stretch and convulse as if her skeleton was being rearranged. After about five minutes of this disgusting display, the old bag finally stopped, only now she wasn't an old bag anymore. Now she was a young girl, about fifteen years old, with lavender hair done up in a bun.

"_Phew_. That really takes it out of ya." The young girl said, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Starting to regret not bringing along some of Daddy's special salve."

'Daddy?' Adora repeated to herself internally. 'Is that Evelyn? Nikolas' little girl?'

But of course, she already knew the answer.

As the young minx walked across the room to the crib, a long staff with a crystal ball on top materialized out of thin air and into her hand. Upon reaching her destination, she looked down at the two infants and smiled again.

"_Aww~ So cute~_" she said sweetly before waving her free hand over the innocent babes. "Fires of Hate and Plains of Starkness, send these brats to the Well of Darkness!"

And with a quick burst of purple light, they vanished without a trace.

"And now, the coup de gras." The young witch said smugly as she placed a small scroll into the crib.

Then with a gentle tap of her staff against the floor, she vanished as well.

XXX

(_One second later_)

Once more, and for the final time, Adora and the others found themselves in a new scene. And _oh_ what a dismal scene it was. All around them was a barren rocky wasteland, while high above a pitch black sky cracked and boomed as if the world was coming to an end. But by far the worst sight was the one directly in front of them; a gigantic swirling vortex of dark energy.

Suddenly, the young Heroine wasn't feeling so well.

"Okay, that's enough." Said Adam, having apparently sensing his sister's distress. "We get the gist of it, we don't need to see the rest."

"I'm sorry." The Sorceress replied. "But once begun, these visions cannot be stopped. I'm afraid you must all see this through to the end."

Just then a new figure arrived on the scene. It was her Father, Captain… no… King Randor. He looked much older than the last time she'd seen him, but he was still unmistakable. Only now instead of righteous determination, his face was a mask of fear and anxiety. Which was understandable, given the circumstances.

"Keldor!" he shouted. "Where are you! Show yourself!"

"Alright, alright, you don't have to yell." Said a familiarly snarky voice from the opposite shore. Seemingly from out of nowhere, the vile villain appeared; his face still conveniently concealed by his hood. "About time you showed up. I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost."

"Where are they?"

"You'll see soon enough." Keldor replied smugly. "But first, a brief history lesson. _Ahem_. One thousand years ago, our humble planet was struck by a mysterious cataclysm which created the Light and Dark Hemispheres, as well as the swirling vortex of evil you see before you. Behold the Well of Darkness. A natural portal that opens but for a few hours once every hundred years. Some say it leads to a nightmare realm, home to ancient horrors older than the universe itself. Others say it just leads to an airless void. Either way I…"

"_Enough_!" Randor belted harshly. "I'm in no mood for your games, Keldor! Just tell me…"

"**_THAT IS NOT MY NAME!_**" the hooded man roared back; a glow of hellish red emanating from where his eyes should be. "That man died! You saw to that! Now there is only me. Now there is only _Skeletor_!"

As if to illustrate this fact, the villain pulled back his hood just a bit; enough to allow everyone present to get a good look at his face. Which, to both Adora and her Father's horror, now consisted of an eyeless, fanged skull.

"Not a pretty sight, is it?" the faceless man asked jokingly before his anger resurfaced. "_You_ did this to me!"

"You… You brought this on yourself. Just like everything else." Randor replied, his horror quickly replaced with rage. "My Father took you in when you had nothing. I welcomed you as a brother. And you repaid our kindness with pettiness and betrayal."

"Oh don't give me that. You were always jealous of me. I was the better student. The better fighter. The better son! You hated me. That's why you begged Miro to name you as his successor instead of me! Just to spite me!"

"That's not what happened!"

"**_LIAR_**!" the skull-faced man roared, his voice rattling some of the nearby rocks. "_sigh_. But no matter. All that's in the past. The only thing that matters now is what happens next."

With that said, an ornate staff topped with the skull of a ram materialized in Skeletor's hand. Then without the slightest hesitation he tapped the bottom of the staff against the ground, causing the earth beneath himself and Randor shoot upwards; forming a pair of narrow rocky towers. Said towers rose to about fifty or sixty feet high before they finally stopped; leaving one man shaken and the other one smirking.

"There, are you satisfied now, Keldor?" the warrior King asked sternly. "You wanted to see me scared? Well I'm scared! I'm scare for my children's lives! Now where are they?"

"Patience, Randor. You're ruining the ambiance." Skeletor said mockingly. "Your children are fine. In fact they're right here!"

With another tap of his staff, two glowing orbs appeared in the space between the two men; each one containing a small, sleeping infant.

"Adam! Galatea!"

"_Shhh_~ They're sleeping." Said the faceless man jokingly. "Now, I had this whole speech prepared, but since you took so long to get here I'll make this brief. _I'm_ going to throw one of _your_ children into that portal and _you're_ going to pick which one."

"_What_?"

"I said…"

"I heard what you said, but you can't be serious! Keldor, this isn't…"

"**_Stop calling me that!_**" the vile rogue roared. "Keldor is dead! I am Skeletor now, do you hear me? **_Skeletor_**!"

"Dear Lord… you've gone completely mad…"

"_AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!_" Skeletor cackled manically. "Are you kidding? Between your father robbing me of my rightful position and you melting my face off, I'm surprised I'm even _this_ sane."

"Enough!" Randor shouted sternly. "This is just between you and me. So why don't you let my children go and we'll settle this like men. What do you say?"

"_Hmmm_…. _NOPE_!" the madman replied cartoonishly. "Now, point and choose the one you want to die."

"Keldor, this is insanity."

"Stop calling me that and choose!"

"I'm not going to….

"_CHOOSE NOW, RANDOR!_"

"_NO!_"

"_FINE!_"

And with another tap of his staff, the orbs dissipated and the twins dropped like a couple of lead rakes.

The next couple of minutes happened so quickly that Adora could barely keep up, but I'll do my best to summarize.

Almost the exact second his children began to fall, Randor sprang into action. He dove off the side like an Olympian, and once he was about halfway down he fired a grappling hook from his wrist at the opposite tower. He then used his momentum to swing around and grab one of the falling infants. He nearly managed to grab the other one, but he missed by just a hair.

"_NO!_" screamed the King.

"_YES!_" cried Skeletor.

And a split second later, the wailing child disappeared into the inky black vortex.

"_GALATEA!_"

And a split second after that the vortex was gone; leaving only a large, shallow hole.

"_NO!_" Randor screamed again before detaching the cable from his wrist; causing him to fall and land roughly on his feet; his infant son still wailing in his arms. "_GALATEA! GALATEA!_"

"_AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!_" Skeletor cackled from atop his rocky tower. "_Yes_! That's it! That's the face I've been waiting for! The pain! The despair! The soul crushing loss! _OH_~ It's so delicious it just has to be fattening."

But of course, Randor did not find this at all amusing. After gently setting his son down, he drew his sword and fixed the faceless fiend with a glare that would freeze the blood of Lucifer himself.

While hopelessly insane, Skeletor was far from stupid. So rather than risk a beating from an enraged tyrant, he tapped his staff on the ground one more time and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Left with no outlet for his rage, Randor soon succumbed to his sorrow and fell to his knees in tears.

Elsewhere in present day, Adora was on the verge of doing the same.

End Notes:

"Baby Mine" is the property of the Disney Corporation. I do not own the rights to this song.

With that said, thanks for reading.

Peace.


	17. Chapter 16: New Families

**Attention! Important message in the End Notes. Please Read. **With that said, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Blah. Blah. Blah. Enjoy.

Chapter 16: New Families

(_Back in Castle Grayskull_)

The very instant Prince Adam returned to his body, he fell to his knees in exhaustion. He wasn't quite sure how long they'd all been on that vision quest, but it must've been at least a few hours because his legs felt like jelly.

Putting his own pain aside for the moment, the young Prince took the time to check on the state of his compatriots. As expected, Orko seemed to be doing just fine, at least physically. His species' natural ability to float made it difficult for him to get tired from just standing around. Come to think of it, Adam wasn't sure if the little imp even had legs to stand on.

Anyway, the Trollan Mage was currently tending to Swift Wind, who despite being a horse and therefore accustomed to sleeping while standing up was somehow exhausted from their ordeal.

Battle Cat, of course, was showing no signs of fatigue. He was much too proud and stoic for such things. Which Adam supposed was part of his charm.

But regardless, what really drew his attention was the sight of his sister sobbing on the floor a few feet away. While they had only known each other for about a day and only known about their blood relation for a few hours, Adam still felt a strong obligation to try and comfort her. So, after a minute or so of slowly inching his way towards her, he attempted to do just that.

"Adora… are… are you okay?" he asked tentatively, despite already knowing the answer.

The young Heroine looked up to face her brother; her expression difficult to read. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but somehow she didn't seem sad or angry. Just empty.

"I… I've never told anyone this before, but when I was little, I always used to imagine what my parents were like." She admitted softly; her voice barely above a whisper. "Even before I knew the truth about the Horde, I always wondered what kind of life I would've had if I'd stayed with them instead of being found by Shadow Weaver."

Suddenly, her mask of stoicism began to falter, and her true sorrow started leaking through.

"When I got older, I convinced myself that my parents must've left me behind because they didn't want me, so I could dedicate myself fully to the Horde." She said just before her façade shattered completely. "But now I know… _sniff_… I had a family that loved me… and that makes it so much worse!"

Acting on instincts he didn't know he had, Adam embraced his sister and began to stroke her ponytail soothingly.

"Not had. Still have." He said to her in the gentlest tone he could muster. "You've got me now. And Mother and Father are at the Palace. Waiting for us to come home."

"But… But what if I'm not what they expected me to be? What if they don't like me?"

"They're going to love you. And even if they don't, you've got me. I love you, Adora. And I always will. You're like… you're like a part of me I didn't even know was missing."

Upon hearing this, Adora returned the hug and said,

"I love you too, my brother."

A short distance away, Orko and Swift Wind were tearing up and holding each other as well; clearly this tender moment was proving too much for them. By way of contrast, Battle Cat just yawned and laid down on his stomach; which was to be expected since subjects that didn't involve food or bloodshed tended to bore him.

But I digress.

The two narrators, who had also resumed their physical forms but showed no signs of fatigue, hung back and allowed this scene to play out for several more minutes. But when it was clear that things had more or less reached their logical conclusion, Shadow Weaver finally spoke up.

"While I hate to interrupt such a touching reunion, I fear we must get back on topic." The dark witch said in as polite a tone as she could manage. "There was a deeper meaning to this little history lesson. I trust you have both deduced it?"

"I… I think I have." Adora replied, gently breaking off the hug and wiping the tears from her eyes. "When Mara sent Etheria into Despondos, she didn't just mess things up on Eternia, she threw the whole universe out of balance. And allowed this Horde Prime guy to takeover."

"So, logically, the only way to fix things is to bring Etheria back." Adam chimed in; apparently sharing his sister's thought process.

"That is… partially correct." The Sorceress answered. "Just brining Etheria back from Despondos won't fix everything. But it is a good enough goal to begin with. You two can figure the rest out as you go."

"Okay… so… how exactly do we bring Etheria back?" Adam asked, suspecting that he wasn't going to like the answer.

The two narrators just looked at each other awkwardly before they answered in unison.

"We're not exactly sure."

Upon hearing this, the twins' faces deadpanned.

"Well… this is a really complex situation. You can't expect to just resolve everything by finding some kind of long lost McGuffin or believing in the power of friendship. This is going to take time and research and meditation." The Sorceress admitted as her dark-skinned cheeks began to burn bright red. "And… admittedly, I wasn't expecting you two to meet until you were much older, so you've kind of caught me off-guard."

"_sigh_. Great. So we have an impossible problem to solve and no idea where to start." The young Prince griped.

"This is just my opinion, but a good place to start might be returning to the Palace and introducing your sister to the rest of her family." Shadow Weaver suggested. "You've had enough adventures for one week. So why not take a rest and enjoy yourselves? Let us worry about the fate of the universe for a bit."

Adam thought about this. He thought about it long and hard. After everything he'd been through over the last two days and everything he'd learned over the last few hours, home never sounded so sweet. He knew his Mother and Father would be overjoyed to see him; even more so to see Adora. However, this was something she needed to decide for herself.

"Well… what do you think?" he said tentatively to his sister. "Do you wanna… come back home with me?"

The young Heroine said nothing at first; apparently needing a minute to mull this over. But before long, a small smile spread across her lips and she answered.

"Yes."

XXX

(_Three days later_)

In a small tavern near the base of the Mystic Mountains, Catra was enjoying the best meal she'd ever had in her life. In reality it was just a greasy ham and cheese omelet, some overcooked hash browns and a mug of stale coffee, but to someone who had spent the majority of her life on military rations, it was a banquet.

Sitting opposite her was Leech, her traveling companion / benefactor, who was currently nursing a bucket of cow's blood through the mouth in his right hand. Strangely enough, the waitress didn't even flinch when he ordered it.

"So _munch-munch-smack-munch_ then what happened?" she asked the older Force Captain, displaying her total lack of table manners.

"Well, with the Admiral gone and no way off the planet, we did the only thing we could do. We went underground. Literally. The couple dozen of us who survived Miro's assault took refuge in the Crystal Caverns of Subternia." He replied, his voice hollow but even. "We were all young and idealistic; we all believed that if we could just conquer this planet in his name, then Horde Prime would forgive our betrayal. So for decades we hid in the shadows. Stealing weapons and supplies. Recruiting whoever we could to our cause. Waiting for the perfect time to strike."

Leech paused for a moment to push his bucket aside before he continued.

"_sigh_. But in the end, I guess we waited one day too long."

"What went wrong?" Catra asked, momentarily forgetting about the food on her plate.

"To be honest, I'm not really sure. By the time we had sufficient numbers and resources to mount a proper campaign, the Great Unrest had been going on for over two years. The Elders were dead and many governments were in ruin, so the timing seemed perfect. But on the night before we were to launch our first strike, something happened… something _bad_…"

Suddenly, the elder Force Captain's left eye began to twitch; a clear sign of PTSD if she'd ever seen one.

"We… we must've had a mole or something, because somehow Randor found out about us. As we slept, he led the Elder Guard, along with an army of Speleans and Caligars straight into our base. By the time we realized what was happening it was already too late. _Randor_, the great _Hero_ of the Unrest, ambushed a bunch of unarmed men in their beds, some of them too young to even drink, and slaughtered them like sheep."

His eye stopped twitching, but his expression remained just as horrified.

"There were over ten thousand Hordesmen in that cavern. Only eight of us managed to get out alive. Mantenna… he was with us, but… he didn't last much longer. Took a plasma bolt right to the gut. No medic. No either. He… he died right in my arms."

A single tear ran down his cheek.

"Anyway, after that we all went our separate ways and I've been living like a bum ever since." He said as he regained a bit of his composure. "Meanwhile, Eternia made Randor their new King and according to you the Admiral's been living it up in some other dimension with his false Horde. _sigh_. Where's the justice?"

"Tell me about it." Catra replied bitterly. "I was nothing but loyal to Hordak my entire life, but I make one little mistake and he threatens to send me to Beast Island. Like he's so perfect. According to you, he's made tons of mistakes. Heck, he _is_ a mistake. He's just a cheap, defective copy of the Horde's real leader. He's a total fraud! Man, I wish I was back on Etheria. I'd break every bone in his smug face."

"Maybe I can help with that." Said Leech, suddenly getting a very serious look on his face.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, when you think about it, all our misfortunes can be laid at the feet of one person; the Admiral, or 'Hordak' as he likes to call himself. If not for him, my military career would've gone without incident and I'd probably be retired by now with a mountain of plunder and dominion over my own planet. And you my dear, I dare say your life could only be improved by the subtraction of his meddling. At the very least, you'd have never been introduced to this Adora person you despise so much."

Catra couldn't deny that there was a certain logic to what he was saying. If traced back far enough, a lot of her problems could be blamed on Hordak. But that still didn't change the fact that they were here and he was there.

"Yeah, so what? It's not like we could ever get to him."

"Untrue." The elder Force Captain replied. "Here on Eternia, there exist many powerful sorcerers with the ability to traverse different dimensions. And I happen to know where one of them lives. Interested?"

"I… I don't know. We'd have to fight our way through the whole Fright Zone just to get close to Hordak."

"My dear, if revenge was easy it wouldn't be worth doing. Listen, I don't know if our meeting was coincidence or divine intervention, but for the first time in decades I have a clear goal other than just survival. And I intend to follow this new path as far as it will take me. What about you?"

Once again, her new companion made a most compelling argument. And much like him, she would never be satisfied with simply surviving on this strange alien world. She was a solider. She needed some kind of mission or goal to strive for, and conspiring to violently murder the man who was at least partially responsible for how screwed up her life was seemed just as good as any.

"Okay, let's say, hypnotically, that I want to go along with this plan of yours. What would we have to do?"

"Well, first and foremost we need money. Lots of it." Leech explained. "Enough to pay off my sorcerer friend and hire some mercenaries to fight for us. It won't be easy, but there are plenty of ways we can earn that much, so long as we're clever about it. But more important than that, you need training. Real training from a real Hordesman. Not whatever slapdash nonsense the Admiral and his followers have cooked up. If we're gonna do this, we'll do it right."

"Sounds good to me." Catra said, allowing herself to flash a toothy grin. "Alright, Pops. You've got yourself a partner."

The elder Force Captain responded with a hideously toothy smile of his own, and he might've said something, had a new voice not intervened.

"Here's your paper, Sir." Said a young Andreenid waitress in a voice that was, appropriately, as sweet as honey.

"What?" asked Leech confusedly.

"Your newspaper, Sir. You requested a copy to go with your breakfast. Remember?"

"Oh, right. Just leave it on the table. I'll read it later."

"Very good, Sir."

And with that said, the bee-woman complied and then went about her business.

Catra had been mildly annoyed by the interference, but was otherwise in too good a mood to care. After a week of living in filth and taking gut punches from crooked cops, her life was taking a dark but welcome turn for the better. For the first time since… possibly ever, she felt completely at peace with herself.

Which lasted until she saw a familiar face on the front page of the newspaper.

"_What_?" the young feline said disbelievingly as she grabbed said paper and held it up to get a better look. "No. _No_! It can't be!"

"Something the matter?" Leech asked, but he was promptly ignored.

Catra just sat there, in total shock as her brain struggled to compute today's headline.

**Royal Family Restored.**

**Long Lost Princess Found After Supposed Death Eighteen Years Ago. **

And there, right below those two lines of text was a large color photo of her former friend turned archnemesis, Adora, along with an older man and woman in regal clothes and a young boy who was almost her exact double. All of them smiling, and looking so _damn_ **_happy_**.

Suddenly, the young Force Captain felt her left eye begin to twitch. Then, without even meaning to, she tore the newspaper in half and screamed at the top of her voice.

"**_ARE YOU KIDDING ME?_**"

**End of Act I**

End Notes:

There, I hope that's enough to keep you all satisfied while I step away from this story for a little bit to work on other projects.

FYI: there will be a grand total of 3 Acts of varying length and a very short Epilogue.

Anyway, here's a little breakdown of what's going to be happening with me from here on out. First, I'm going to be taking a very short break from writing, like a week at most. Then I'm going to throw myself into a brand new passion project I've been planning for months called "Orpheus: the Tale of Marceline". It's a little crossover between Adventure Time and Hazbin Hotel I've had cooking in my noodle since practically the day the pilot dropped. It will be about 20 to 25 chapters long and if all goes well I should, fingers crossed, have it done within the year. After that I'll be taking another short break before going back to work on "Yin-Yang" exclusively until it's finished.

And now for the part that I know will piss a lot of you off. As of this moment, my Star vs the Forces of Evil series is on indefinite hiatus. I don't want to outright cancel it just yet, because I kinda want to finish it someday, but right now it's at the bottom of my do-to list. I know this might come off as kind of a middle finger to a lot of you who have been following that series since the beginning, but this is not something I just decided to do on a whim, I've given this a lot of serious thought. I have a lot of reasons for doing this, but the biggest and most important one is that at this point, finishing my Star vs series feels more like an obligation than a fun side project I work on after work. Which is what Fanfiction is supposed to be; at least from my perspective.

Anyway, I'm sorry if any of you feel hurt or betrayed, but I just gotta do what's right for me. I hope to see some of you following and commenting on my Orpheus project and on future installments of this story.

Until then, I hope you're all doing well in your own lives and I'll see you later.

Peace.


	18. Chapter 17: 16 Weeks Later

Here it is folks, the long awaited return of my She-Ra / He-Man crossover Yin-Yang. I know it's been about six months since I ended Act I and I know a lot of you have been dying to know what happens next, so to reward your for your patience and understanding, I'm gonna kick off Act II with something special. **A time skip!** _With a twist~ _With that said, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Enjoy.

Chapter 17: 16 Weeks Later

(_Week 1_)

Adora stood out on the balcony overlooking the city. Another night without sleep. Her third in a row, but I suppose that was to be expected. Just a few days ago she had been an orphan, a former Horde Soldier and the sworn Defender of Etheria. Now she was a Princess, a _real_ Princess, with parents and a twin brother. It was all so terribly confusing.

After getting a crash course in her family history from the Sorceress and Shadow Weaver, Adam had taken her back to the Palace to meet their parents. Naturally, there had been a lot of gasping and crying and hugging; at one point their Mother actually fainted. But after all the heavy emotions were out of the way, things started to get a little awkward. Since then, she'd hardly spoken to anyone besides her brother.

It wasn't that she didn't want to get to know her parents better. It was just that she didn't quite know where to start, and apparently neither did they. Being in a family was much more complicated than she thought. How did Bow and Glimmer make it look so easy?

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" asked a familiar voice from close behind.

"Oh, hey, Adam." She said to her twin. "No, not really."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Okay then. Mind if I join you?"

"Sure, I guess."

And with that, the Prince took those last few steps to join her by the railing.

"So…" he said awkwardly. "I know this probably isn't the best time, but have you given any thought to what you wanna be called from now on?"

"_Sigh_. Yeah, I think I'm just gonna stick with Adora. I know it's the name Shadow Weaver gave me, but it just feels more right than Galatea. But I'm worried what… _they_ might think when I tell them."

"I'm sure Mother and Father will understand. I mean, changing your name is a lot simpler than brining you back to life; from a paperwork standpoint anyway."

"Maybe, but I just don't know."

"Look, whatever happens, I'll be there to support you. I promise." Adam said reassuringly. "But in the meantime, since we're already awake, we might as well have some fun. Tell me, have you ever been in a Holo-Suite before?"

XXX

(_Week 2_)

Within the candlelit and perfume scented atmosphere of her private Pleasure Dome, Adora sat upon a great mound of ornate pillows and watched as her darling Spinnerella danced for her enjoyment. The plus-sized beauty was dressed in what Adam had referred to as a Belly Dancer Outfit; a revealing, almost see-through number that showed off her curves quite nicely. And the dance she was performing was most alluring; every time she shook that cute little derriere of hers, it sent a rush of blood to her face and nether regions.

It was _most_ enjoyable.

After about another five to ten minutes, the dance was complete and the plump Princess stood before the reclining Warrior with hungry eyes.

"Does my dancing please you, my mighty hero?" she asked sensually.

"Yes, very much." Adora answered, blushing and grinning like a goofball. "You truly are a goddess."

"You flatter me." Spinnerella said with a playful giggle. "I don't know what I ever saw in that boorish Netossa. You're so much better than her."

Suddenly, the purple haired beauty began walking towards her; her hips swinging with every step.

"You know how to appreciate a rare beauty like me. Don't you, Darling?"

Within moments, Spinerella had her plushy body pressed up against Adora's and their faces were less than an inch apart.

"Kiss me." The plump Princess purred sweetly.

Adora was too entranced to say anything, but was eager to comply. And she likely would have, were it not for a sudden interruption.

"_Oh my stars!_" exclaimed a familiar voice from a short distance away; instantly earning the young heroine's attention.

Too her immense horror, it was Queen Marlena, who was currently standing by the chamber door; eyes wide and hands over her mouth.

"_M-M-MOTHER?_" Adora yelped in surprise and embarrassment. "_TERMINATE PROGRAM! TERMINATE PROGRAM!_"

And with that, Spinnerella and the Pleasure Dome disappeared. Leaving only an empty Holo-Suite and an awkward silence.

XXX

(_Week 3_)

"They called it the New Space Race." Queen Marlena explained to her daughter as they sat together on a bench in the Royal Garden. "Mars was going to be the future of mankind, and almost ever nation on Earth was trying to get there first. My country, the United States of America, along five others, were experimenting with a new type of 'Light-Fold Engine' that would supposedly shorten a year long journey to just a few hours. I was the test pilot assigned to field test the protype and I guess there were still a few bugs, because the next thing I knew, I was crash-landing on a planet at the center of the universe with no way to get back home."

"Whoa…" Adora said in quiet awe. "Were you scared?"

"Scared? Who? Me? Captain Marlena Tatopoulos? A woman who has laughed at danger, sneered at doom, and stared into the very face of death? I was petrified." She said jokingly, earning a laugh from her daughter. "But seriously, it was pretty scary at first. Luckily, my ship happened to crash into the Vine Jungle around the time your Father and his unit were on patrol. So they helped me out."

"And that's how you met and fell in love?"

"Eh… not exactly." The Queen admitted. "Actually, the first time we met, he made me so mad that I punched him right in the stomach."

"You didn't."

"I did, and for a second I thought I was gonna be hanged. But he shook it off and apologized. And after that, I don't know, things got better."

"Wow, that's a great story, Ma'am, I mean, _Mother_." Adora said, sounding quite flustered.

"_Heh-Heh_. Thanks, Kiddo. But you know you don't have to call me that if you don't want to. If you want, you can just call me 'Mom'."

"Oh, uh… okay. I mean, I was just calling you that because that's what Adam always calls you."

"Ah yes, well… he may not always act like it, but your brother takes his role as Prince very seriously. He likes to keep things formal around the castle. But we can keep it casual if you want. Sound good?"

"Sounds great… Mom."

XXX

(_Week 4_)

_**ROOOOOOAAAAAR!**_

_**ROOOOOOAAAAAAR!**_

Went the legendary elementals Blizzarus and Magmagor as they continued to assert their dominance by pelting each other with their respective elements. After 327 years of slumber, the colossal titans, who were only slightly shorter than the Empire State Building just in case you were wondering, had awakened to finally settle their millennia long blood feud. Which honestly wouldn't be a problem if either giant possessed even a shred of situational awareness.

"Alright, listen up, everybody." Man-At-Arms said authoritatively as he addressed his fellow Masters at their basecamp on the side of an adjacent mountain. "According to the ancient Kulatak prophecy, if we don't stop those giants and fast, their senseless fighting will destroy all of Eternia. Now I'm not gonna lie to you, this won't be easy. But with courage and teamwork, we will persevere!"

The other Masters of the Universe all gave a resounding cheer for their leader, while way in the back, Prince Adam, Princess Adora and their respective mounts were surveying the situation with varying levels of excitement.

"Okay, that's it, I'm out." Said Swift Wind rather bluntly. "Robots and Spider People are one thing, but I draw the line at giants. Met 'em before, was not fun, never doing it again. Period."

"Come on, Swifty. Don't be like that." Adora said soothingly as she stroked her trusty steed's mane. "You heard Man-At-Arms. This is important. I need you by my side."

_ROAR!_

"Battle Cat's right, noble Pegasus. There's nothing to be afraid of." Said Adam in his usual, over the top manner. "This is our hour of glory!"

The young Prince chose to punctuate this statement by pulling out his Sword of Power and pointing it in the direction of Blizzarus. An act which, to the surprise of everyone in attendance, caused the crystalline blade to turn bright orange and fire a stream of flames directly into the ice giant's left eye.

"Whoa… Cool!" Adora exclaimed excitedly. "Adam, I didn't know your sword could shoot fire."

To which her brother replied bewilderedly.

"Yeah… neither did I."

XXX

(_Week 5_)

"_Mmmm_~" Adora moaned with pleasure as a pair of lovely Spelean masseuses continued to work the tension out of her shoulders.

Her Mom was right, a trip to the spa was just what the doctor ordered.

"Having fun, Kiddo?" asked Queen Marlena from the adjacent massage table.

"_Mmmm_~"

"_Heh-Heh_. Yeah… I remember my first spa day."

XXX

(_Week 6_)

A hush fell over the empty geisha house as Adam and Adora found themselves surrounded by eight dozen of the deadliest members of the infamous Claw Ninja Clan.

"Um… I think there's been a slight misunderstanding here." The young heroine said nervously.

"Yeah, my sister and I just came here for a delightful evening of sushi and beautiful women." Added her brother.

"_HA_! As if I'd believe that." Said the lead ninja smugly; his rank signified by the silver oni mask he wore on his face. "And I suppose it's just a coincidence that the Heirs of Grayskull just happened to show up here in Anwat Gar, in this exact geisha house, which my clan uses as a front for our criminal activities, on the very night that I, Ninjor, Head of the infamous Claw Ninja Clan and former Outcast, plan to kidnap the Shogun's daughter and force her into marrying me, thus making me next in line for the throne, which I will take once I assassinate the Shogun via poison sometime next month?"

"_Yes_, because that's exactly what happened!" Adora shouted in exasperation. "We didn't know _any_ of that until you told us just now, you stupid idiot!"

"I'm beginning to see why you're not an Outcast anymore." Adam added dryly.

"_Bah_! Enough of your demented parlor games. Claw Ninja! _**Attack**_!"

At their master's command, the shinobi warriors descended on our two heroes. And as they drew their swords for battle, Adora muttered gruffly to her brother,

"Next time, I pick where we go for the weekend."

XXX

(_Week_ _7_)

Adora had been summoned to appear before her parents in the Throne Room, though for what reason she did not know.

"What's up, Mom?" the young Heroine asked casually before taking notice of her Father. "Oh, uh… Hello, Sir."

"Yes… Hello… You." The King replied, sounding just as uncomfortable as she felt.

"Adora, I have great news." Her Mother said excitedly, in a clear attempt to ease the tension in the room. "Your Father would like to ask you something. Isn't that right, Honey?"

"Yes, that's right, I… oh boy." The mighty warrior said awkwardly, beginning to perspire just a little bit. "You see, every year, around this time, I and a few of my friends from the old days go on a sort of… weeklong wilderness retreat. A hunting trip, if you will. And normally I'd bring Adam, but this year he says he's not feeling up to it, so… I was wondering, and obviously you don't have to, so feel free to say no if-_OOOF_!"

The Queen gave her husband a swift punch in the shoulder; indicating that she wanted him to stop beating around the bush.

"Adora… would you… like to go hunting with me?"

Upon hearing this, the young heroine almost didn't know what to say. Numerous conflicting emotions were battling it out in her head. There were so many things she wanted to say, but strangely enough, the one that came out was,

"Sure, okay."

XXX

(_Week 8_)

"I am the Queen of the Wilderness!" Adora declared in a loud, booming voice as she struck a heroic pose before the campfire; earning a cheer from her fellow hunters.

The young Princess was on Cloud 9; partially because of all the raspberry wine, but mostly because she was still riding the emotional high from earlier. Just a few hours prior, she, in front of her Dad and all of his cool friends, singlehandedly slew a full-grown, Hyperborean Mega Boar. And now they were roasting its sweet delicious flesh over an open fire.

Hunting is _awesome_!

"_HA-HA_! This kid's a riot!" said King Dactys amusedly.

"Yeah, you sure she's really yours, Randor?" King Ceratus asked jokingly.

"Wish my daughter was more like her." Said Queen Sumana offhandedly. "You've got quite a girl there, Randor."

Her Father just chuckled and then looked at her with eyes full of love and approval.

Her Dad was proud of her.

Best day ever!

XXX

(_Week 9_)

Deep within the labyrinthian and trap laden walls of the legendary Tower of Lo Tae Zhao, the twin Heirs of Grayskull, along with Teela, Mekaneck, Man-E-Faces and Ram Man were searching diligently for the equally legendary Amulet of Wang Zhi.

"That's it. I've hit the wall. I'm taking a break." Adora declared suddenly before marching over to the nearest wall and plopping herself right down.

"Adora, this isn't a game. You can't just take a break in the middle of an adventure." Teela said sternly; asserting her authority.

"We've been at this for two days. My feet are killing me. I'm taking a break."

"We don't have time for breaks. If we don't find that amulet within the next thirty-six hours, then Prince Eragon of Varitas will remain a baboon for the rest of his life."

"Screw him. That little twerp shouldn't have been mouthing off to a witch in the first place."

"Maybe so, but I'm the team leader and I'm ordering you to get off your butt and get moving."

"Oh yeah, well I'm the Princess, so I outrank you. And I say it's still breaktime."

"You may be a Princess, but out in the field my word is law. So get moving."

"Well then, as Princess, I hereby decree that you suck and from now on I'm in charge."

"That's not how royal decrees work, you idiot!"

"Oh yeah, well then I decree that from now on that is how royal decrees work and I sentence you to twenty years hard labor for calling me an idiot."

"That's not how it works! That's not how any of this works!"

And while the two females continued to yell at each other like a couple of fishwives, the men all took this opportunity to take a well-deserved rest.

XXX

(_Week 10_)

Within the ancient library of Castle Grayskull, Adora, Princess of Eternia, was about to bare witness to a most unusual spectacle. Mere moments ago, Orko, her parents' Court Magician, had asked Shadow Weaver, her ex-mentor turned enemy turned uneasy ally, to play a game with him. An invitation the shadow witch surprisingly accepted.

Now the two magic users were seated at a small table while our young heroine sat close by to observe.

"Like most things in life, the game of Arcana seems complicated at first, but is actually quite simple once you know the rules." The Trollan Mage explained as he shuffled a deck of cards. "A standard Arcana deck has 53 cards. 9 Wizard Cards, 2 for each of the Grand Masters and 1 for the Wizard King, and 44 Spell Cards, 11 for each of the 4 main branches of Trollan Magic. The object of the game is for each player to build a hand that consists of 1 Wizard and 4 Spells that correspond with that Wizard. We each start out with 5 Cards and then we take turns drawing 2 new cards and then discarding 2 we think we don't need. You can choose to draw either from the deck or your opponent's discard pile. Once 1 player has a completed hand, they can no longer draw or discard and their opponent only has 8 more turns to complete their hand or they forfeit. Once both players have a completed hand then they begin the Wizards' Duel, but the rules for that will be easier to explain once we have our hands. Any questions?"

"Yes, how do we know which Spells correspond with which Wizards?" Shadow Weaver asked politely.

"Oh, that's the easy part. They're color coded." Orko replied cheerfully. "The 4 Branches of Trollan Magic are represented by 4 colors; Red, Blue, Green and Gold. Every Trollan is born with an affinity for one of these branches, and the strongest sorcerer within each branch is given the tittle of Grand Master, along with a new name to suit their position."

"A new name?" the shadow witch asked curiously.

"Yes, since ancient times, each new Grand Master has taken on the name of one of the originals. And once one of these names is bestowed, the Wizard's old name can never again be spoken, nor can the name be bestowed upon anyone else until the current Grand Master dies; no matter what the circumstances." The Trolllan Mage explained as he started drawing several Wizard Cards to illustrate his point. "There is Uvo the Green Wizard, Lord of Nature's Realm, Master of Flora and Fauna. Then there is Awkti the Blue Wizard, Lord of the Depths and the Heights, Master of Outer Space, Deepest Ocean and Highest Mountain. Next comes Aoshi the Golden Wizard, Lord of Light and Air, Master of Healing, Meditation and Transcendence. Lastly there is Orko the Red Wizard, Lord of Shadow and Fire, Master of Chaos, Necromancy and all Magics that the Lesser Minds call Black."

Upon hearing this last part, both Adora and Shadow Weaver's eyes went wide with shock.

"Once a generation, there is born a very special Trollan who can utilize all four branches of magic and in so doing, unlock even greater powers." Orko continued to explain, ignoring their confused stares. "This one in a billion prodigy is destined to become Ygbir the White Wizard, King of All Spellcasters, Master of Matter, Energy and even Time itself."

With his presentation over, the Red Wizard put the five cards back into the deck and shuffled it one last time.

"So, are you ready to play?"

XXX

(_Week 11_)

Crystalline blades clashed with cold steel on the deck of the Black Drake; the most infamous pirate ship in the Sea of Rakash. Its captain, a gruesome rogue by the name of Angstrom Bloodmoon, had ransacked a freighter carrying relief money to the war-torn nation of Kellyco, and it was up to the Heirs of Grayskull to get it back.

"No! We are not setting the boat on fire!" Prince Adam shouted at his sister as they stood back to back, fighting off wave after wave of bloodthirsty pirates.

"Why not?" asked Princess Adora; barely even paying attention to the pirates anymore. "My friend Sea Hawk does it all the time."

"Okay, A) You shouldn't be taking life lessons from a guy named Sea Hawk, and B) A fire would set off the powder magazine."

"First off, you hang out with guys named Buzz Off, Roboto and Man-E-Faces, so don't even start on judging my friends. And second, what's a powder magazine?"

"It's a storeroom for weapons and ammunition. And on a boat this size, I'd say there must be at least two and a half tons of high explosives below deck. One little spark and we'd be blown to kingdom come."

"Okay smart guy, then how do you suggest we get out of this mess?"

"Like _this_!" the Prince declared boldly as his white diamond blade turned pale blue. Then, with a dramatic twirl, he plunged his sword deep into the wooden deck; causing the ship and everyone on it, minus himself and his sister, of course, to become frozen under a thick layer of ice. "_Ta-da~_"

Adora responded to this display of power by crossing her arms and grumbling to herself.

"Show off."

XXX

(_Week 12_)

It was a beautiful day in the Palace Garden and our favorite royal twins were engaged in a 'friendly' game of lawn darts.

"Well, here it is, Brother-O-Mine." Adora said cockily as she balanced her last dart on the tip of her finger. "The final round and we're all tied up."

"We wouldn't be all tied up if you were keeping score right." Adam said annoyedly.

"Oh, and what about you, Mr. That-Was-Just-A-Practice-Throw?"

"Well at least I didn't break a window with one of my darts."

"Well at least I didn't try to disqualify someone for having 'bad posture'. Seriously, you are such a sore loser."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

_**CLUNK!**_

Suddenly, the two siblings had their heads knocked together like a couple of coconuts. Unsurprisingly, they soon discovered that their Father, King Randor, was the culprit.

"Knock it off, you two, or I'm banning this game from the Palace. Understood?" the King said sternly.

"Yes, Father."

"Yes, Dad."

"Good, now I don't want to have to come over here again."

And with that said, the King left his children alone once again.

"You're still a sore loser." Said Adora.

To which her brother replied,

"Oh, shut up."

XXX

(_Week 13_)

Midnight in Castle Grayskull.

The Sorceress sat in her favorite chair while two birds, an owl and a raven, stood on a small table before her.

"Look, never mind how it happened. Are you gonna help us out or what?" asked the raven in a voice eerily similar to that of Prince Adam.

"Please, Sorceress. These pinfeathers are so itchy." Said the owl, sounding suspiciously like Princess Adora.

"_Sigh_. Fine. I'll go get my equipment." The Sorceress said annoyedly. "But you two really need more supervision."

(_Week 14_)

Amidst a sea of swirling fog, the Masters of the Universe trudged through the ankle deep mud in an improvised 'human' chain.

"Stay frosty, everyone." Man-At-Arms said from his position near the front of the chain. "The Marsh of Madness is only about fifty yards in diameter, but people have been known to disappear in here, never to be seen again."

"Disappear how, exactly?" Adora asked, trying not to sound as worried as she felt.

"_According to local folklore, this marsh is home to a powerful demon that uses illusions to lure unsuspecting travelers to their doom_." Roboto explained from his place at the head of the chain.

"Which is precisely why Roboto is leading the way. His sensors can't be fool by the demon's magic." Man-At-Arms chimed back in. "But just to be on the safe side, don't break contact with the person in front or behind you no matter what, and try to keep your minds blank. This demon will use whatever it can to keep you trapped here until you starve. Your deepest desires. Your darkest fears. Your worst memories."

"Worst memories?" Swift Wind repeated nervously, bringing up the rear. "Hey, Man-At-Arms. This demon isn't gonna bring up that time I got separated from Adora and was attacked by giants, is it?"

"It will _now_." Replied their leader in exasperation.

"Oh… right." The talking horse said awkwardly, before shouting into the mist. "Hey Demon! No giants! Giants are off the table! Okay?"

XXX

(_Week 15_)

Tonight was a magical night.

For it was the night of the annual Silver Star Ball, and Adora had scored a date with the lovey and vivacious Felina Fervelius; daughter of King Carnivus and Princess of Felis Qadi. Thus far, the evening had gone off without a hitch. They drank, they talked, they laughed, and now they were on the dancefloor making everyone else look bad.

"You dance divinely, Your Majesty." Said Felina flirtatiously. "You have natural rhythm. Very rare for a human."

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself." Said Adora, flirting back. "I'm having a wonderful time, by the way. I still can't believe you asked me out. I mean, we barely know each other."

"I don't believe in playing games or taking things slow. When I see something I want, I pounce on it." The Qadian Princess said seductively. "Although I must confess, I was a little surprised you accepted my invitation so quickly. From what your brother's been saying, I was under the impression you prefered your companions to be of the… _larger_ persuasion."

"Yes, well, you know what they say about Adam. Sometimes he just says things to hear himself talk."

"Perhaps, but the two of you have made quite the name for yourselves in such a short time. Taking on the Spider Guild. Vanquishing the Ancient Titans. Besting the Claw Clan. I'm beginning to think there's nothing you two can't do."

"Well, I've been told I can't act to save my life." Adora replied, half-jokingly, earning a laugh from her date.

"Oh, Your Majesty, you are too much." Felina said, once again turning on the charm. "You must keep your friends back on Etheria in stiches."

And just like that, the evening was ruined.

Suddenly the young heroine remembered her old home and her old life back on Etheria. But more importantly, she remembered all the friends she'd left behind. Glimmer, Bow, Mermista, Sea Hawk, Perfuma, Frosta, Spinnerella, Madame Razz. What were they doing right now? Were they okay? How was the Rebellion fairing against the Horde without their champion and sworn protector?

"Is something the matter?" the Qadian Princess asked concernedly.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I just… I need some air. Please excuse me."

And with that, Adora left the dancefloor and her date to go drown her anxieties in some high quality blackberry ale.

XXX

(_Week 16_)

It had been almost a full week since the Silver Star Ball and Adora was still down in the dumps. Nearly four whole months and she was no closer to getting back to Etheria or finding a way to bring it back to the wider universe. She knew Shadow Weaver and the Sorceress had told her to be patient and let them handle it for now, but it was just so hard not to think about it. Maybe she needed something to take her mind off this? Perhaps her brother could help?

"Sorry, Baby Sister, but I can't help you." Adam said, putting aside the book he was reading; _Game Theory: An Amateur's Guide_. "I can't just pull an adventure out of thin air. It doesn't work that way. Why don't you try reading something. That might take your mind off things. Here, try this newspaper. It arrived just a few hours ago."

"_Sigh_. Okay, at this point I'll try anything."

And so, Adora took the paper and began reading today's headline.

**Arcadian Harem War Ended**

**Instigator to be Executed in Three Days**

"What's a Harem War?" she asked her brother confusedly.

"Oh, it's some kind of civil unrest going on in Arcadia. You know, Auntie Sumana's kingdom. Apparently, a few months ago, some guy showed up out of nowhere and started seducing every single woman on the island. They all fell madly in love with him, but he refused to marry or be exclusive with any of them. So they started fighting, their friends and families got involved and the next thing they knew the whole kingdom was rioting. Looks like Auntie finally put her foot down. Boy, I'd hate to be that poor bozo."

"Yeah, me too." Adora agreed, before scrolling down the front page to get a look at the poor slob, only for her hear to suddenly stop. "Oh my _Lord_!"

"What?"

"That's no bozo, that's Bow!"

"Huh?"

"Bow! As in my friend from the Princess Alliance!"

"I thought he was back on Etheria."

"So did I, but according to this, Auntie's gonna cut his head off in three days!"

"By the Elders…." Adam muttered somberly, before choosing to inject a little humor into this bleak revelation. "Well, at least now we've got something to do."

**Begin Act II**

End Notes:

And now we officially begin the second act. I hope you all enjoyed my little anthology styled time ship chapter, and if you can tell me what obscure 80s fantasy film Week 10 was inspired by, then you are awesome. With that said, it's good to be back to this story and I'll see you all in the next chapter.

Peace.


	19. Chapter 18: Love and War

Here it is, because you asked for it. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is produced by Dreamworks Animation Television, and both She-Ra and He-Man are owned by Mattel. Enjoy.

Chapter 18: Love and War

Out of all the kingdoms on Eternia, the island city state of Arcadia was by far the most peculiar. For although the inhabitants appeared to be human, the drastic physical differences between the two genders have led many researchers to believe that they are actually some sort of human subspecies.

Confused?

Allow me to explain.

Arcadia is a matriarchal society where woman make all the important decisions. This is largely due to the fact that Arcadian females are much larger and more physically fit than the males; averaging about thirteen to fourteen feet in height. By way of contrast, the males average only about four to five feet and possess about as much muscle tone as a canned ham.

However, this is not to say that Arcadian men are oppressed or mistreated by the woman. In fact it's quite the opposite. You see, the two genders exist in a symbiotic relationship with one another. The women serve as laborers, hunters, warriors and protectors, while the men serve as doctors, teachers, lawyers and anything else that requires too much mental energy. And because both sexes provide a necessary service to the other, each tends to shower the other with praise and affection.

This is the natural order of Arcadia.

What follows is an example of what happens when this order is disrupted by outside forces.

"_What do we want?_"

"_**BOW DEAD!**_"

"_When do we want it?_"

"_**NOW!**_"

"_What do we want?_"

"_**BOW DEAD!**_"

"_When do we want it?_"

"_**NOW!**_"

Chanted a large crowd of scrawny, pasty skinned men in togas and thick prescription glasses, while on the opposite side of the street, a group of dark skinned Amazonian women dressed in black were crying and pleading to the heavens for a miracle.

And high above all this madness, the Heirs of Grayskull observed the scene from the relative safety of the Arcadian Royal Palace.

"Oh man, this is worse than I thought." Adora said worriedly as she looked down at the mob below. "Those guys really want Bow dead."

"Fear not, Sister Dear." Adam said reassuringly while giving her a gentle pat on the back. "I'm sure we can get this all straightened out once Auntie shows up."

As if on cue, the large door on the far side of the room suddenly opened and in walked a dark-skinned, statuesque woman dressed in gleaming bronze armor.

"Hello, my Darlings." She said excitedly as she rushed over to greet her guests. "Come here and give your Auntie a hug."

Eager to get on her good side, the twins gladly obeyed and once the pleasantries were out of the way, they got right to business.

"So, Bow's a friend of yours?" the Arcadian Queen asked casually as the trio strolled into the throne room. "Wish he would've told me. Could've saved me a lot of headaches."

"Auntie, I still don't understand. How did this happen?" Adora asked concernedly.

"It's a long story, sweetheart." Sumana replied as she sat down on her gilded throne. "It all started a few months ago. One of our fishing crews caught the little bugger in their net and brought him back to the island to recover. When he regained consciousness he told us he'd been transported here from another world, but we honestly didn't think much of it. I mean, such things happen all the time on Eternia."

The twins just nodded and allowed their 'Auntie' to continue.

"Anyway, a few days later, a sea monster attacked the port, which is nothing all that unusual, but while all the other men were hiding in the shelter, Bow leaped into battle to help our warriors vanquish the foul beast. That's when the trouble started."

"I don't understand." Adora said confusedly.

"I do." Adam spoke up knowingly. "You've seen the quality of men they have here in Arcadia. Smart and sensitive, but not the most athletic or physically attractive. But from what you've told me, this Bow guy's got all four qualities in spades. It's a miracle he's survived here as long as he has."

"I'm afraid it's true." The Queen jumped back in. "As soon as everyone saw what Bow could do, nearly every woman on the island fell madly in love with him. Women started dumping their boyfriends just to try and earn his favor, but for some strange reason he's rejected all their advances. Poor thing must be intimidated by our beauty."

"Yeah, that's probably it." Adam said sarcastically, though his 'Aunt' didn't seem to notice. "But Auntie, if you knew Bow was causing so much trouble why did you let him stay for so long?"

"Well, I was hoping my own daughter would fall in love with him too so she'd finally abandon her silly RPG obsession and start acting like a proper Arcadian Woman. So I, kind of… sort of… held him here against his will."

"You _what_?" exclaimed Adora.

"Auntie, how could you?" asked her brother disapprovingly.

"I know, I know, but I was desperate. Ever since Scamander met that horrid game designer from Viridas, she's completely lost all perspective. She spends all her time online gaming, she's woefully out of shape, and she's even started _ick_ shaving her armpits. _Ugh_. So unwomanly. But my plan didn't work. She's pretty much the only girl on the island who isn't in love with Bow. And now all my women are fighting and all my men are miserable. Oh, what a disaster."

"Well, why don't you just let him leave now? That should solve everything." Asked the Princess hopefully.

"Believe me, I would if I could, but the women have all threatened to leave with him if I do. So, with no other options, I gave the poor boy an ultimatum. Bow must either choose a bride by tomorrow, or I shall have no choice but to execute him for inciting this madness. I'm sorry, Darling, but there's just no other way to restore order."

"Maybe there is." Adam said suddenly with a foxy grin. "Adora, go get your friend from the tower dungeon and bring him out to the front gate in exactly one hour."

"But there's an angry mob outside, he'll be torn to shreds."

"Worry not, Sister Dear. Just leave everything to me."

XXX

Twenty minutes and about a jillion steps later, Adora finally made it to the top of the castle's highest tower. Although it may as well have been the highest tower in the whole damn universe.

Seriously, why were there so many frickin stairs in this place?

Had no one on this island ever heard of an elevator?

But regardless, the point is that she had made it to the top of the tower and was standing before the door that led to the room where Bow was being held. Naturally, she was excited, but also a little nervous. It had only been about four months since she last saw him, but so much had happened that it felt more like a lifetime. Would her friend still be the same? Was _she_ still the same? So many questions. So many ways this could go wrong. But just standing there worrying about it wouldn't solve anything. So, after much deliberation and stalling, Adora psyched herself up and pushed right on through.

The room beyond the door was relatively small compared to the rest of the palace, but still quite spacious; which she supposed made sense, since it was probably designed to house Arcadian Women. A wall of steel bars ran down the center of the room, dividing it into two equal halves. Adora's side was mostly empty, save for a couple of torches on the wall. While the other side had a small window with bars on it, a toilet and a rather large cot with some kind of lump laying on it beneath a blanket.

"Bow?" she said aloud, hoping beyond hope that this would all go well. "Bow, is that you?"

"Whoever you are, the answer is still no." the lump said in a gruff but familiar voice. "I'm not going to marry you or anyone else on this island."

"What? No, Bow, it's me, Adora."

"A… Adora?" the lump said skeptically as it forced itself into a seated position. It's head was still covered by the blanket, but she could see its eyes squinting at her, as if trying to examine her. Then the eyes went wide and the blanket came off; revealing the teary eyed but familiar face of her dear friend. "Adora?"

"Bow."

"Adora!"

"Bow!"

And before either of them knew what was happening, the two were hugging each other through the bars.

"Adora, I… I can't believe it. I thought I was never gonna see you again." The noble archer said, looking a bit dirtier and a little thinner, but still very much how she remembered him. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I came here to rescue you, you big goof."

"I figured that, but I meant, how did you get here? I thought you were back on Etheria."

"That's what I thought about you. I didn't even know you were here until Adam showed me that newspaper."

"Adam? Who's Adam?"

"Oh, he's my brother."

"Oh… Wait, _what_?"

"Yeah… It's kind of a long story, but short version, this is where I came from. This is the planet where I was born. Bow, I met my parents. I found my family!"

Adora hadn't realized she'd been shouting until the very end, but she couldn't help. She just loved saying it out loud. But luckily, Bow seemed to understand.

"Adora, that's… that's wonderful." The noble archer said, sounding genuinely happy for his dear friend. "Tell me, what are they like?"

"Oh, they're the best. Adam's so much fun to hang out with. I mean, sure we fight sometimes, and he's kind of smug and he's a real sore loser and I hate it when he calls me 'Baby Sister', but I still love him. And my dad is super cool. He's been teaching me all about hunting and fishing and falconry and sword fighting. And mom… uh… teaches me weird mom stuff. I don't think I've ever been so happy in all my life."

By this point, Bow had been driven to tears, which the young heroine completely misinterpreted.

"Aw, Bow, I didn't mean… you guys are still important to me too, it's just…"

"It's not that. Adora, I'm happy for you, I really am. It's just… hearing you talk about your family makes me remember that I'm never gonna see mine ever again. Oh Lord, I'm gonna die here!"

Unable to control himself any longer, the noble archer finally broke down and let his raw emotions run freely; much like the tears running down his face.

"I don't wanna die, Adora! I don't wanna die! Not here! Not like this!"

"And you're not going to." The warrior princess said reassuringly. "Adam says he's got a foolproof plan to get you outta here, but first you've gotta tell me what happened. I already got most of it from the paper and Auntie Sumana, but I'd like to hear your side of it too."

"Well… alright." Bow said, straightening up a bit before asking confusedly. "Wait, the Queen is your Aunt?"

"Eh, kinda, sorta. It's a long story, but it can wait 'til later. First, tell me how you got into this mess."

"Well, if you talked to the Queen then you know how I got here and about the sea monster, but after that I just don't know. For some reason, all the women here find me irresistible. I can't take two steps outside without getting mobbed by a pack of lovesick giants. And when I try to tell them I'm not interested, they think I'm just playing hard-to-get and that makes them want me even more. And the Queen's the craziest one of all. She keeps trying to force her daughter on me; who's pretty much the only one who doesn't want to marry me. I've tried to escape like fifty times, and each time I'm caught, she sentences me to house arrest _in her daughter's bedroom_. That woman's a _freak_!" the archer vented, before remembering an important detail. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to insult your family."

"Oh, Sumana's not really my aunt. She just makes me and Adam call her that for some reason. I don't really get it."

"O…kay… Well, anyway, now the Queen says I have to marry one of them by tomorrow or she's gonna cut my head off. And obviously I'm not gonna marry any of those nutjobs."

"Why not? I mean, I know I don't have any personal experience, but I've always assumed that being married was better than being dead."

"Well for one thing, I don't love any of them. And for another, they're all insane! I just wanted to scare off the sea monster, but they ripped out all its teeth while it was still alive and then started hacking it to pieces from the tail up; again, _while it was still alive_! Plus they have no concept of boundaries or personal space or table manners. And _Ugh_, don't even get me started on their hygiene. The women here only bathe once a week and they _never_ wear deodorant."

"Oh… so that's what that smell is." Adora said understandingly.

"I've lost eight pounds since I got here because of all the times I've throw up from their rancid BO."

"Well, did you try just being honest with them? Telling them how you really feel?"

"Are you nuts? You want me to tell a bunch of super strong, musclebound giants that I think they're gross and crazy? Adora, these women have almost killed me over a hundred times because of how much they love me. I don't even wanna think about what they might do to someone they hate."

"Okay, okay, I see your point." Adora admitted. "I'll admit, you're in a pretty deep hole here. But Adam says he has a plan to get you out of this. We just need to meet him by the front gate."

"The front gate? But that's where all those crazy women are! Adora, are sure about this?"

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but trust me, Adam's really smart, and he knows how much you mean to me. So if he says he can fix all this, then I believe him."

"Well… okay." Bow said tentatively. "I guess he can't make things any worse."

XXX

It was approximately two minutes to the appointed time when they were supposed to meet up with Prince Adam and our two brave heroes were already approaching the main gate. Outside, they could hear the roars of the opposing mobs; half wanted Bow dead, the other half wanted to take him to bed. And since neither option was particularly pleasant, they waited patiently for the third member of their group to arrive before daring to venture outside.

"Where is he?" Bow asked anxiously; and understandably so.

"I'm not sure." Adora answered nervously. "Maybe… Maybe Adam meant for us to meet up with him outside the gate."

"Are you out of your mind? If I take one step outside that gate I'm a dead man. If the men don't lynch me, the women will smother me!"

"That won't happen, I promise." The young heroine said in the most reassuring tone she could muster. "Look, just trust me and have faith in my brother and everything will work out fine. Probably."

"_Probably?_"

But before the noble archer could protest any further, his friend had already taken him by the hand and led him outside; straight into the path of the two mobs.

"There he is!" yelled one of the men. "That's the jerk who stole our girlfriends!"

"Shoot him!"

"Hang him!"

"Skin him alive!"

"Who says we can't do all three?"

While on the opposite side.

"Bow, marry me!"

"No, marry me, hot stuff!"

"Come home with me, cutie! I'll protect you!"

"No, me! I'm way hotter!"

For a moment, it looked like they were going to be swarmed on from both side. Then, seemingly from out of nowhere, a short, stocky, balding man with thick prescription glasses ran up and punched Bow right in the face; sending him tumbling to the ground.

"That's for stealing my fiancé, you bastard!" the little nerd said triumphantly as he looked down on the injured archer.

Adora expected this to be the catalyst for another terrible riot, but strangely enough this did not come to pass. To her astonishment, the Arcadian woman all began to flock around the assailant; blushing and giggling like schoolgirls.

"Oh my, Darius~" one of them said flirtingly. "I had no idea you could be so bold."

"Yeah, how'd you like to come back to my place, handsome?"

"Hey! I saw him first!"

"No I did!"

"I did!"

"Back off, you cows!" yelled a particularly buff female who forced her way to the front, before kneeling before the much smaller male with a pleading look. "Oh, Pookie Bear, I've been such a fool. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course, Love Bug." The man replied pleasantly. "Let's never fight again."

And with that, the woman squealed delightedly and proceeded to carry her man off to somewhere more private.

One by one, the other women followed suit; asking for their jilted lovers' forgiveness and then carrying them off to make love. Within minutes the street was empty, save for Adora, Bow and a certain Prince who had been hiding amongst the crowd.

"And they all lived happily ever after." He said, grinning ear to ear.

"Adam?" Adora said confusedly. "You did this? But… But how?"

"Elementary, Baby Sister-O-Mine." The Prince replied proudly. "Arcadian women are notoriously fickle. I figured they wouldn't be so hot for your friend there if they saw him getting decked by one of their own little weaklings. So I spent the last hour riling up the biggest wimp I could find and, well, you know the rest."

"Adam, you mad genius!" she declared joyously as she embraced her sibling in a tight but affectionate hug. "I love that twisted little brain of yours!"

"Oh please, it was nothing." Adam replied, feigning modesty. "Now come on. Let's go pick up your pal."

"Oh right, I almost forgot." Adora said excitedly as she prepared herself into introduce her two favorite people to each other. "Bow, this is my brother, Adam. Adam, this is my best friend, Bow."

"Nice to meet you, buddy." The Prince said good-naturedly. "Adora's told me all about you. So, how does it feel to be a free man again?"

"_Ugh_…" the noble archer groaned groggily as he continued to lay on his back like a turtle while the blood flowed profusely from his nostrils. "I think my nose is broken."

**End Notes: **

Thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one.

Peace.


End file.
